The Coming Era of Distributed Electric Propulsion for Aviation and What it Means

Mark Moore

Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at 2:00 P.M. in Pearl Young Theatre in the Integrated Services Building
(video) within the Langley firewall only

Abstract

NASA Langley is pioneering the integration of a new propulsion technology that has the potential to transform aircraft capabilities, the missions they fly, and the way we interact with aviation. The largest aerospace technology shift since the invention of the turbine engine is taking place, and will very quickly sweep through the shorter range aviation markets. The result will be a step change in the degrees of freedom available to aircraft designers to achieve digital aircraft systems that achieve capabilities long dreamt of – but previously out of reach. Advanced concepts utilizing this technology will be showcased as vision vehicles as incubators of not merely this new propulsion technology, but of a suite of highly coupled digital systems that ride the wave of autonomy, sensor fusion, smart materials, and multi-functional systems.

Speaker

Mark D. Moore has worked for NASA for 30 years performing conceptual design studies of advanced aircraft concepts, in particular smaller powered-lift vehicles. He received his Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Stanford University and is currently completing his PhD at Georgia Tech. His research focuses on understanding how to best integrate the emerging technology area of electric propulsion to achieve breakthrough vehicle capabilities. He has authored many technical publications promoting a future vision of distributed and on-demand aviation. He is currently the Principle Investigator for the Convergent Aeronautic Systems (CAS) Project for the Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology X-Plane Demonstrator as well as the Senior Advisor for On-Demand Mobility.