NASA Pushes New Truss-Braced Wing Design to Structural Limits in Rigorous Testing

Summary

NASA researchers conducted grueling tests on a new 15-foot long, thin wing design, the Structural Wing Experiment Evaluating Truss-bracing (SWEET-15), to determine its structural limits for future ultra-efficient aircraft. The wing withstood anticipated in-flight forces and ultimately failed at 127% of its design limit load, providing valuable data for new manufacturing approaches.