5 aerospace breakthroughs of 2024

The past year in aerospace was so full of exciting developments that we had a tough time picking a final five. From the rise in sustainable and green aviation to the overall growth in public and private space innovations, 2024 has been an inflection point for the future of flight tech. The boldest breakthroughs, though, came in the form of a flying taxi powered by hydrogen, a rocket plane that can reach outer space, commercial astronauts outside their spacecraft, the potential return of supersonic air travel, and the launch of a mission to find life beyond the asteroid belt. 

(Editor’s Note: This is a section from Popular Science’s 37th annual Best of What’s New awards. Be sure to read the full list of the 50 greatest innovations of 2024.)

Grand Award Winner

Hydrogen-electric VTOL air taxi by Joby: Fly from Boston to Washington without visiting an airport and with no emissions

Between the negative impact of carbon emissions and the headache of TSA lines, flying often feels like more hassle than it’s worth. But Joby Aviation’s hydrogen-powered air taxi might just be the breath of fresh (and clean) air we’ve been waiting for. By swapping out traditional batteries for a cutting-edge liquid hydrogen fuel system, Joby has supercharged the range of its electric vertical takeoff aircraft beyond its original roughly 150 miles on battery power. To prove it, they pulled off a 523-mile test flight in July, showing off what could soon redefine regional travel. As if on cue, the FAA in October introduced its first new category of civilian aircraft since the helicopter debuted in the 1940s, clearing the runway for air taxis to potentially become as common as choppers in our daily lives.

Mk-II Aurora rocket-powered aircraft by Dawn Aerospace: A rapidly reusable spacecraft

One of the biggest challenges to the commercialization of space remains relatively high launch costs. Dawn Aerospace’s Mk-II Aurora offers a solution to this problem by combining rocket-powered performance with the operational flexibility of an aircraft. Though still in the testing stages, the Aurora is designed to demonstrate rapid reusability, allowing it to complete multiple flights in one day. This is a key step toward making commercial space as accessible and efficient as commercial aviation. The Aurora’s innovative design allows it to take off from standard runways without requiring exclusive airspace, making it ideal for applications including atmospheric research, Earth observation, and microgravity experiments. As a technology demonstrator, it also serves as a foundation for development, perhaps one day proving that the sky is no longer the limit for runway-based flight.

Polaris Dawn spacewalk by SpaceX: First EVA by private astronauts

Imagine stepping out of your cozy spacecraft into the vast, uncharted expanse of space—no government agency holding your hand, just you, your crew, and the infinite cosmos. That’s precisely what the Polaris Dawn team achieved on September 12th with the first-ever commercial spacewalk. By venturing into the void without the usual safety net of governmental oversight, the Polaris Dawn mission has opened the door to a future where space isn’t just the playground of governments. Instead, it’s accessible to private enterprises and, possibly someday, everyday adventurers. The Polaris Dawn spacewalk also tested SpaceX’s new EVA suits to show that private companies can develop and deploy the technology needed for humans to survive in outer space.

X-59 Quiet Supersonic Transport by NASA and Lockheed Martin: A return to supersonic air travel 

NASA’s Quesst Mission is attempting to make sonic boom-free supersonic travel a reality with their X-59 supersonic aircraft. Traditional supersonic planes like the Concorde were notorious for their earth-shaking sonic booms, limiting their ability to fly over land. The X-59, which made its public debut in January, is designed to eliminate the boom and replace it with a soft “thump” using clever engineering like a super-streamlined body and advanced aerodynamic features. If successful, the X-59 could pave the way for the resumption of supersonic passenger flights over populated areas, cutting travel times dramatically without disturbing communities. After test flights to ensure safety in 2025, NASA plans to fly the X-59 over various US cities, gathering public feedback to help rewrite aviation regulations that currently ban overland supersonic flights. 

Europa Clipper by NASA: Searching for life’s ingredients in Jupiter’s orbit

Just launched in October, the Europa Clipper is NASA’s newest research probe. It’s set to investigate one of the solar system’s most intriguing mysteries: Does Jupiter’s icy moon Europa have what it takes to support life? Europa is theorized to have a vast, salty ocean beneath its frozen crust—an environment ripe for life as we know it. That’s where the Clipper comes in: It’s equipped with cutting-edge instruments to detect evidence of water or any potential signs of life. When it reaches Europa in 2031, the spacecraft will make dozens of flybys, capturing detailed images of the moon’s surface and analyzing plumes of water vapor thought to erupt from cracks in its icy crust. By exploring what may lie beneath Europa’s surface, the Clipper could redefine our understanding of Europa and guide future missions.

 

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