Supersonic, Fuel-Efficient Ninja-Star Jet An engineer from the University of Miami has received a $100,000 grant from NASA to develop a supersonic aircraft shaped like a ninja star. Ge-Chen Zha has designed a bi-directional flying wing (SBiDir-FW) that can travel at supersonic speeds without the sonic boom generated by conventional aircraft when they break Mach 1. The grant comes from NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program, which will allow Zha and his team to further study and develop this "Buck Rogers meets Bruce Lee" concept. In a seriously swiveled approach to hushing sonic booms, this futuristic aircraft proposes such speed by simply turning 90 degrees in the air. ***
The BiDir-FW concept is fully symmetrical at the axis of the fuselage and wing areas, however one set of wings is abbreviated for decreased drag at supersonic speeds. Essentially, it's a flying wing that generates lift on every axis, but rotates during flight to transition between supersonic and subsonic speeds. NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program is taking the long-term view of technological investment and the advancement that is essential for 21st Century missions, inventing ways in which next-generation aircraft and spacecraft will change the world and inspire Americans to take bold steps. Zha is hoping he can make his design even better than it already is with zero sonic boom and low supersonic wave drag that would lower fuel consumption. ***
