NASA Wing Design

NASA researchers have tested a new wing design, the 15-foot Structural Wing Experiment Evaluating Truss-bracing (SWEET-15), to find its structural limits. The design incorporates a long wing supported by an aerodynamic strut and is part of NASA's research to develop future ultra-efficient aircraft.

The test concluded with a deliberate test-to-failure, where engineers increased loads beyond the wing's design limits to determine how and where it would fail. The structure ultimately failed at roughly 127% of its design limit load.

The data collected during testing will inform future airframe designs and support NASA's ongoing efforts to develop more efficient aviation technologies. The research is being conducted through NASA's Subsonic Flight Demonstrator project in the agency's Research Technology Mission Directorate.