Airbus UpNext, with its stated mission of “flying future technologies today”, has launched a new technological demonstrator to accelerate its superconducting technologies for use in the electric propulsion systems of hydrogen-powered aircraft.
The manufacturer has already achieved a significant milestone with cryogenic superconducting technologies with ASCEND, its 500-kilowatt powertrain, in November 2023.
This new demonstrator, known as Cryopop, will integrate a new 2MW superconducting electric propulsion system that will be cooled by liquid hydrogen via a helium recirculation loop. It will be developed by Airbus teams in Toulouse, France, and Ottobrunn, Germany.
Photo: Airbus UpNext
Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext, said that this new demonstrator would build on the success of previous demonstrators and “lead to performance improvements of the propulsion system, translating into significant weight and fuel saving potential.”
This demonstrator will also give Airbus the opportunity to develop high-level, in-house expertise and foster a new ecosystem to accelerate the introduction of new products in areas such as superconducting cables, motors, cryogenic power electronics and cryogenic cooling systems.
