Shape Memory Alloy Has Applications in Supersonic Flight

Jan-25-18 An exciting new alloy technology from NASA allows planes to fold their wings while in flight.

Part of the Spanwise Adaptive Wing project (SAW), the lightweight, shape memory alloy would allow planes to change the shape of their wings without the need for heavy hydraulic mechanisms. In recent tests, the memory alloy was used on the Prototype Technology-Evaluation Research Aircraft (PTERA) to create an actuator that would be triggered by heat to return to its original shape—in this case, causing the wing tips to bend up or down.

The team believes the technology could have significant applications in the future of supersonic flight, where folding the wing tips down allows the craft to “ride the wave.”

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[CO.UK]
[NASA.GOV]

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