Hindenburg’s Revenge
The first human-piloted hydrogen-powered aircraft, developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and built by Lange Aviation, made a 10-minute maiden flight in July in Hamburg, Germany. Don’t expect fuel-cell-based jetliners anytime soon; actually, the most likely ETA for such aircraft is never, since fuel cells have a power-to-weight ratio that makes large planes impractical. But the Antares DLR-H2, which uses a 25-kilowatt fuel cell, has far less lofty ambitions. It is a motor-assisted glider, capable of taking off by itself. Lufthansa Technik Group, an independent spinoff of the airline that focuses on aircraft repair and overhaul, will use the aircraft as a test bed. The company is looking ahead to a day when fuel cells will supply planes with onboard electrical power.
Product: Antares DLR-H2
Cost: N/A
Source: www.dlr.de/en
Companies: Lange Aviation, BASF Fuel Cells, and Serenergy AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Google DeepMind’s new generative model makes Super Mario–like games from scratch
Genie learns how to control games by watching hours and hours of video. It could help train next-gen robots too.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.