Advanced Air Vehicles Program

Aeronautics

Subsonic Flight Demonstrator

Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools

NASA Pushes New Wing Design to Find Structural Limits

NASA researchers recently put a new wing design, appearing long and thin with a lightweight structural design, through a series of grueling tests to find its structural limits. What they found left them encouraged about the wing’s potential, even when they pushed it past its intended limits.

Posted July 18, 2026

Aeronautics

Ames Research Center

Commercial Supersonic Technology

Low Boom Flight Demonstrator

Quesst (X-59)

Quesst: The Flights

NASA’s X-59 Prepares for First Supersonic Flight 

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is preparing for some of its most significant flights yet. The X-plane is about to begin a new block of test flights that will include its first time flying faster than the speed of sound and other mission-critical objectives. “What comes next is the first time this one-of-a-kind aircraft […]

Posted May 29, 2026

Aeronautics

Subsonic Flight Demonstrator

Sustainable Aviation

Ultra-Efficient Aviation

NASA, Boeing Advance Truss-Braced Wing Research in Test

NASA and Boeing have completed wind tunnel testing to study an innovative advanced aircraft design intended to improve aerodynamic efficiency.

Posted April 29, 2026

Aeronautics

Ames Research Center

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate

General

High-Speed Flight

High-Tech Computing

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools

Transformational Tools Technologies

Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program

NASA Releases Powerful LAVA Software to US Aerospace Industry

For years, NASA engineers have turned to a tool called the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) framework to solve airflow challenges that could mean the difference between mission success or failure.

Posted April 23, 2026

Aeronautics Technology

Ames Research Center

Commercial Supersonic Technology

High-Speed Flight

Low Boom Flight Demonstrator

NASA Aircraft

Quesst (X-59)

Quesst: The Vehicle

Supersonic Flight

NASA’s X-59 Prepares for Second Flight

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft is preparing for its second flight, a step that will set the pace for more flight testing in 2026. Over the coming months, NASA will take the quiet supersonic jet faster and higher, while validating safety and performance, a process known as envelope expansion. NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less will be at the X-59’

Posted March 17, 2026

About Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP)

NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP) studies, evaluates, and develops technologies and capabilities for new aircraft systems and explores far-future concepts for revolutionary air travel improvements.

Posted March 4, 2026

Aeronautics Technology

Flight Demos Capabilities

Flight Innovation

NASA Completes First Flight of Laminar Flow Scaled Wing Design

NASA completed the first flight test of a scale-model wing designed to improve laminar flow, reducing drag and lowering fuel costs for future commercial aircraft. The flight took place Jan.

Posted February 12, 2026

Aeronautics

Hypersonic Technology

Supersonic Flight

NASA Aims to Advance Hypersonic Flight Testing with New Awards

While NASA is working with U.S. aviation to explore commercial supersonic technologies, the agency is also looking forward to an even faster era of flight – one of vehicles that can fly hypersonic, or five times the speed of sound. And to further that vision, NASA has issued two awards for studies into vehicle concepts. […]

Posted January 30, 2026

Aeronautics

Electrified Aircraft Propulsion