Video: The Tech Behind NASA's New Experimental X-Plane
This artist's concept of NASA's X-57 Maxwell aircraft shows the plane's specially designed wing and 14 electric motors. NASA
Up, up and away!
NASA is known for building spacecraft that can navigate the outer reaches of our solar system. Now, the space agency is developing a new kind of airplane that cruises the friendly skies of Earth -- the fully electric X-57.
The aircraft boasts 14 motors, most of which don't actually provide any thrust, but instead get more air to flow over the very skinny and aerodynamic wings. As a result, the X-57 uses a fifth of the energy of other gas-powered planes.
To see the aircraft in action, check out the video below from Wired: