NASA has unveiled the crewed X-70 Fractal, a modular experimental aircraft intended for flight-control and manoeuvrability research. Presented at the UP.Summit at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 4 November, the aircraft is designed to accommodate rapidly changed internal and external test payloads. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman projected that the X-70 would make its first flight under the agency’s banner within two years; the builder has not been identified.
NASA lists a take-off weight of 10,000 pounds, a cruise speed of Mach 0.75 and an operating ceiling of 45,000 feet. The aircraft is expected to carry up to 2,000 pounds of experimental payload and have a range exceeding 1,500 nautical miles, or about 1,726 miles. The modular configuration is intended to let researchers switch between experiments without redesigning the aircraft for each test.
The X-70 adds a crewed platform to NASA’s experimental flight-research work. The agency places it in a lineage that includes the Bell X-1, X-15 and X-59. NASA has provided no further design or programme details; its release describes the aircraft image as generated. The projected first-flight window remains a target rather than a completed programme milestone.