Near-future improvements in aerospace and energy technologies and systems will be a vital part of meeting America's needs as it faces the challenges of the 21st century. In particular, the following two areas are at the top of the list where substantial progress is needed over the next three decades:
Project "Spacefaring America" - Becoming a true spacefaring nation early in the 21st century.
For Americans, the age of space exploration began in 1961 with the suborbital flight of Alan Sheppard. Over forty years later, American human access to space and our ability to conduct space operations remains very limited. We are not yet a true spacefaring nation. The key to the transformation is building an integrated space infrastructure that will open the Earth-Moon system to safe and routine human enterprises. This project focuses on how to best utilize today's aerospace technologies to develop and deploy a near-term space infrastructure supporting government and commercial space operations.
Project "CAT" - Improving subsonic air transportation with true multi-mission air mobility.
In the 1950s, jet-powered transport aircraft revolutionized commercial air travel. For nearly 50 years, Americans have been able to affordably travel the globe with an unparalleled level of safety and comfort. This has revolutionized global relations and commerce. A key factor in the success of this jet transformation was the Air Force's purchase of over 500 Boeing military tankers for the Strategic Air Command. In addition to the B-47 and B-52, this infusion of new aircraft technologies into the American aeronautical industry enabled Boeing and Douglas to introduce the highly successful B-707 and DC-8, respectively. The Air Force is now modernizing its fleet of over 400 KC-135 tankers with the expectation to buy a comparable number of new aircraft. One new alternative is to develop a new class of subsonic aircraft called the Blended Wing Body or BWB. An adaptation of this design the includes the ability to externally carry large interchangeable modules would provide these new aircraft with a true multi-mission capability. This concept is referred to as the Configurable Air Transport or CAT.
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Last updated: 13 March 2007
