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GE and NASA Run World’s First Test of a High-Power Hybrid Propulsion System at 45,000 Ft.

By the next decade, NASA wants to introduce electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP) to commercial flights. As part of its Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project, NASA and GE Aerospace are making history, having successfully tested for the first time a high-power, high-voltage hybrid-electric propulsion system in altitude conditions.
A Saab 340B  will be modified for future flight tests with GE's hybrid-electric propulsion system 6 photos
Photo: Saab
Saab 340B AircraftNASA's EPFD ProgramNASA's EPFD ProgramNASA's EPFD ProgramNASA's EPFD Program
GE is working on a hybrid-electric propulsion system set to enter into service by the middle of the next decade. At the Farnborough International Airshow, the company announced a huge milestone not just for this project but for the entire industry. That is the successful completion of something called “altitude integration test.”

What this means is that a pioneering megawatt-class (high power) and multi-kilovolt (high voltage) hybrid-electric propulsion system was tested in simulated altitude conditions without leaving the ground.

As GE explains, MWs measure electrical power while kVs measure “the difference in electrical potential between two points.” kV-class systems are more challenging to manage at high altitudes, which is why the success of this recent test is so important. Not to mention that one MW could power roughly 600 houses, so this gives us a better idea of what this high-power propulsion system means.

The idea was to recreate the altitude conditions that would simulate single-aisle commercial flight but without the safety risks typically associated with flight tests. This was possible thanks to NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT) facility in Sandusky, Ohio. According to NASA, this is the only place that can provide high-altitude and high-electric power conditions while also being large enough for an entire electric powertrain.

As a result, GE successfully tested at altitudes of up to 45,000 feet (13,716 meters) its high-power and high-voltage hybrid-electric propulsion system, a world premiere. Two sets of a hybrid-electric system were used to act as an aircraft’s left and right engine side.

The next step is an electric aircraft flight demonstration. For that, Boeing is providing a CT7-powered Saab 340B plane that will be modified and fitted with GE’s hybrid-electric system.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
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Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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