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October 12, 2008 7:50:53 PM CDT

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A Plane That Runs on Hydrogen

Posted Apr 4, 08 3:28 PM CDT in Technology 

(Newser) – Boeing has successfully tested the world’s first manned, hydrogen-powered plane, the BBC reports, with one executive calling the three flights in Spain “a historical technological success.” The propeller-driven two-seater runs on a hydrogen fuel cell that emits only heat and water. Boeing engineers say they doubt the cells alone could power full-scale passenger planes.

With the airline industry concerned about greenhouse-gas emissions and rising fuel costs, it’s more likely the cells will someday contribute to a hybrid fuel system on big jets—and even that could be decades off, one engineer said. Other hydrogen-powered planes have flown before, but never with a human pilot; other manned prototypes are in the works, including several from NASA.

Source BBC

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Boeing employees pose by a plane which is powered by a hydrogen battery on April 3, 2008 at their research center in Ocana.   (PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP/Getty Images)
US aircraft maker Boeing employees pose by a plane which is powered by a hydrogen battery on April 3, 2008 at their research center in Ocana, Spain.   (PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP/Getty Images)
US aircraft maker Boeing employees pose by a plane which is powered by a hydrogen battery on April 3, 2008 at their research center in Ocana, Spain.   (PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP/Getty Images)
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Boeing's Fuel Cell Powered Airplane   (malfita (YouTube))

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Boeing  • clean energy  • aerospace  • alternative fuels  • hydrogen fuel cells


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