The space agency awarded $100,000 to the team behind the project

Aug 31, 2012 15:23 GMT  ·  By
This is the new supersonic aircraft concept proposed by FSU expert Ge-Chen Zha
   This is the new supersonic aircraft concept proposed by FSU expert Ge-Chen Zha

A “flying wing” aircraft concept has just been awarded $100,000 in funds by the American space agency. Florida State University aerospace engineer and designer, Ge-Chen Zha, says that the new aircraft could travel at supersonic speeds in a simple manner.

Since the concept is designed as a four-pointed ninja star, simply turning the vehicle 90 degrees mid-flight would enable it to accelerate beyond the sound barrier, while maintaining extreme fuel efficiency. But applying the rotation also means that the sonic boom would become history, Space reports.

“I am hoping to develop an environmentally friendly and economically viable airplane for supersonic civil transport in the next 20 to 30 years. Imagine flying from New York to Tokyo in four hours instead of 15 hours,” Zha explains.

The $100,000 grant he received in order to continue developing the concept was awarded to him through the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program.