Foto: BB.LV / X-70 jet
### An aircraft that can be reconfigured for different tests In a statement on November 4, [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-x-70-experimental-aircraft-to-advance-flight-research/) described the X-70 Fractal as a highly maneuverable piloted test platform. The aircraft will receive technology for rapid changes to the flight control system configuration. This will allow engineers to quickly replace both internal and external components, adapting the aircraft for various experiments. According to the developers' concept, such architecture will enable the exploration of aircraft maneuverability in ways that have not previously been applied in piloted aviation. > "The X-70 Fractal will provide NASA with a piloted high-performance platform for testing advanced flight control systems, maneuverability, and other cutting-edge technologies in real flight conditions," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. He called the project part of a "new beginning for aviation." "This is why people come to work at NASA: to create, learn, and, most importantly, to fly," Isaacman added. ### What is known about the characteristics of the X-70 Fractal NASA has already revealed the main calculated parameters of the future aircraft. | Characteristic | Declared Parameters | | ------------------------------------ | --------------------- | | Cruising speed | 0.75 Mach | | Maximum flight altitude | 13.7 km | | Flight range | Over 2777 km | | Experimental payload | About 900 kg | | Takeoff weight | About 4535 kg | | First flight | Within two years | The cruising speed of the X-70 will be comparable to that of a passenger Boeing 737 Classic. At the same time, the aircraft will be able to carry experimental equipment both inside the fuselage and on external mounts. This will allow the use of a single platform for a wide range of research. ### NASA has only shown an AI-generated image so far Along with the announcement, the agency published an image depicting two inclined vertical stabilizers emerging from clouds of smoke. However, this is not a photograph of the finished aircraft and not even a finalized design of the X-70. The illustration was created by artificial intelligence and only provides a preliminary idea of the possible design. By the outlines of the tail assembly, the aircraft resembles American fighters F-22 Raptor and F/A-18 Super Hornet. The declared takeoff weight of the X-70 is also close to that of the experimental Model 437 Vanguard aircraft developed by Scaled Composites and Northrop Grumman. The final appearance of the X-70 Fractal is still unknown. ### NASA continues to experiment with the aviation of the future The X-70 will be a continuation of NASA's experimental aircraft program, designed to test technologies that may later be applied in civil and military aviation. One such project is the X-59, created to explore ways to reduce sonic boom during supersonic flight.  The X-59 features an unusually long nose and lacks a traditional front windshield. Instead, the pilot uses a system that displays images from cameras and sensors. The design of the aircraft is intended to reduce the intensity of shock waves generated when breaking the sound barrier, so that supersonic flights are accompanied by a significantly quieter sonic boom. Other experimental aviation projects are also developing outside of NASA. In particular, Boom Supersonic is testing supersonic flight technologies, Boeing is working on the next-generation F-47 fighter, and the U.S. agency DARPA is implementing the CRANE program. However, the task of the X-70 Fractal is somewhat different: to create a versatile piloted platform that can be repeatedly reconfigured to test new control systems and aerodynamic solutions. If the declared timelines are met, the first flight of the aircraft will take place by the end of 2028.
