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Supersonic Flying Wing Nabs $100,000 from NASA

By InnovationNewsDaily Staff

Credit: Ge-Chen Zha / Florida State University

A flying wing aircraft design resembling a ninja star can turn 90 degrees in midair to go into supersonic mode.

August 30, 2012 Updated Aug 30, 2012 at 8:12 PM PDT

An aircraft that resembles a four-point ninja star could go into supersonic mode by simply turning 90 degrees in midair. The unusual "flying wing" concept has won $100,000 in NASA funding to trying becoming a reality for future passenger jet travel.

The supersonic, bidirectional flying wing idea comes from a team headed by Ge-Chen Zha, an aerospace engineer at Florida State University. He said the fuel-efficient aircraft could reach supersonic speeds without the thunderclap sound produced by a sonic boom — a major factor that previously limited where the supersonic Concorde passenger jet could fly over populated land masses.

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