As NASA pushes toward a future in which air taxis and advanced aerial vehicles become part of everyday transportation, one challenge stands out above the rest: safety. Before these aircraft can fill urban skies, researchers must ensure they can withstand frequent takeoffs, landings and unexpected impacts without endangering passengers.
To help meet that challenge, The University of Texas at Arlington has received a three-year, $750,000 grant from NASA’s MUREP program to develop a new class of impact-resistant materials designed to protect next-generation aircraft during extreme landing or collision events.
The project is led by Xin (Jeffrey) Liu, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who also holds a joint appointment in the Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies at the UTA Research Institute (UTARI) in Fort Worth.
“This project is trying to improve the safety of advanced air mobility aircraft,” Dr. Liu said. “Before we implement these new transportation technologies, we have to ensure that the structures, pilots and passengers are all safe.”
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