NASA Armstrong Flight Tests Shape Memory Alloy Onboard PTERA Testbed

PTERA takes off from the Rogers Dry Lakebed on a flight to test the ability of an innovative, lightweight material, called shape memory alloy, to fold the outer portion of an aircraft’s wings in flight.

PTERA takes off from the Rogers Dry Lakebed on a flight to test the ability of an innovative, lightweight material, called shape memory alloy, to fold the outer portion of an aircraft’s wings in flight.

Photographer NASA/Ken Ulbrich
Location AFRC
SAWAFRCNASA ArmstrongNASA Armstrong Flight Research CenterSpanwise Adaptive WingShape Memory AlloyBoeingArea IFolding WingsAeronauticsEdwardsConvergent Aeronautic SolutionsPTERAAviation