The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has just published a fascinating presentation by Dr. Charles E. Harris, P.E., Director of the Research Directorate at the NASA Langley Research Center, on the possibilities for future aircraft design unleashed by the use of revolutionary new materials.
Entitled “Opportunities for Next Generation Aircraft Enabled by Revolutionary Materials,” it was the SDM Keynote delivered at the 52nd AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, held April 4 – 7 in Denver. The briefing was about the future material requirements for aviation, the increasing use of composites and other new materials, and the consequences on future design possibilities for manned and unmanned aircraft. Whilst it is essentially quite technical, is amply illustrated with several mind-boggling sketches of possible future aircraft that can be realised with these new materials. Well worth the read.
Download the .pdf of the presentation here