NASA has awarded $11.5 million in research grants to five companies to develop sustainable aircraft concepts, marking a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of air travel. The Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability 2050 (AACES) program aims to identify "transformative solutions" that can make the aviation industry more sustainable.

The five awardees, including Electra, JetZero, Georgia Tech, Pratt and Whitney, and Aurora Flight Sciences, will work on innovative technologies such as electric aircraft, cryogenic liquid hydrogen fuel sources, and new propulsion systems. While these concepts are still in their early stages, the funding will help bring them closer to real-world testing.

Notably, none of the electric propulsion and flight startups that have received significant venture capital investments are among the awardees. This may indicate that their visions for the future of aviation differ or that they have alternative funding sources. The AACES project is part of NASA's broader effort to advance sustainable aviation technologies, and its outcomes could have a significant impact on the industry's environmental footprint.