Interview with NASA STEM Outreach and ARC Researcher Bijan Fazal (Part 1)

Disclaimers

• Before we begin, I want to share with you and your audience
• My personal views, opinions and experiences and not those of NASA
• I will sharing publicly available information and you can read more about it on nasa.gov
  Background and Inspiration

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in aerospace engineering, specifically in sustainable
   aviation?

• Growing up, I was intrigued by the physics of flight, the construct of flying vehicles and
  the imagination of space travel. To that end, I shaped my early learning towards my first
  college degree in AE.
• Intellectual curiosity gave way to a more responsible view of applying the knowledge to a
  meaningful outcome. The current challenge of our time is to protect our planet’s
  environment. For that purpose, I focused on my late career with an advanced degree in
  AE with SE
• By the way, it was 15 years from the time that I began gathering knowledge to applying
  that knowledge

1. How did your journey with NASA begin, and what led you to work in SACD?

• One of my graduate research projects was on using MBSE to develop a regulatory
  framework for subsonic transport aircraft, which was sponsored by NASA under the
  Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstrator project
• My interest was in weaving systems design and thinking in to AE
  o ASAB within SACD @ NASA was working on developing a MBSA&E framework
  for conceptual design of new aerospace vehicle concepts and mission analysis

1. What are some key experiences or mentors that shaped your path in this field?

• For most of my academic journey and career, I did not have a mentor. I wish that I did
  because I believe now that everyone should have a mentor in their life journey – it
  provides assurance and advice when you need it the most
  o Key experience – STEM learning and contributing to STEM curriculum
  development e.g. Dream With Us Challenge on Sustainable Aircraft Design
• After joining NASA, I do have a mentor. He is Dr. Jesse Quinlan who is a strategic
  advisor to the Advanced Air Vehicle Program (AAVP)
  o Key advice – Have at least one mentor throughout your career

Sustainable Aviation at NASA

4. Could you explain what SACD is and its role in promoting sustainable aviation?

• Through Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) programs (p. 11) directly in
  support of the US Aviation Climate Action Plan (p. 16)
• SACD undertakes projects attached to ARMD programs (p. 11) specifically AAVP
  projects (p. 10) e.g. X-57 Maxwell (p. 52), X-59 Quesst (pp. 53-54) and X-66A TTBW

4. What are the current goals of NASA’s sustainable aviation initiatives?

• Refer to the sustainable aviation presentation for strategic vision, goals and projects (pp.
  9, 13, 18) to reduce the environmental impact (pp. 14-15, 17)
• Contributions of NASA to aviation (p. 8)

4. How does your work at SACD contribute to reducing the environmental impact of aviation?

• My work supports the programs and projects laid out at the Agency and the Mission
  levels
• One example is in support of SFNP for the development of subsonic transport
  technologies (pp.19-24)

Technology and Innovation

7. What are the most promising (unclassified) technologies currently being developed at SACD
   for sustainable aviation?

• Based on flight regime (speed) and mission – Low Speed (UAM), Short range (RAM),
  Subsonic, Supersonic and Hypersonic concept vehicles and flight technologies
• Concept vehicle – TTBW (p. 26, 28)
• Technologies layering – HyTEC (p. 34), EPFD (p. 58) and HiCAM (p. 40)

7. How do you see electric and hybrid-electric propulsion shaping the future of aviation?

• It will play an ever-increasing role and positive impact to lowering emissions and noise
  pollution
• It will have to be an integrated technology value proposition to yield benefits (p. 50)
• It in NASA’s long-term technology and innovation plan (p. 56)

7. What challenges do you face when trying to balance sustainability with aircraft performance
   and safety?

• Battery storage capacity and technology maturation
• Time to adoption (fleet renewal time) and a profitable economic model for aircraft
  operators
• Development of new safety standards and regulations for airworthiness certification

Research and Development

10. Could you describe your recent paper?

• Fazal, B., Schmidt, J., Phillips, B. D., Ordaz, I., and Moore, K. T., “Integration of
  Uncertainty Quantification in a Model-Based Systems Analysis and Engineering
  Framework”, AIAA Paper 2024-4559, July 2024. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2024-4559

10. How can the contents in your paper be applied to sustainable aviation?

• Applied to NASA-SFNP vision (pp. 41-42)
• Applied it to TTBW concept vehicle analysis
• Can be applied to design, analysis and optimization of novel concepts and sustainable
  technologies

10. What role do biofuels and alternative fuels play in NASA’s vision for sustainable aviation?

• Alternative energy sources under exploration are hybrid-electric, Hydrogen-powered and
  sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)
• NASA provides a supporting role (pp. 43-45)

10. How is NASA collaborating with private companies and other organizations to advance
    sustainable aviation technologies?

• Yes, with several private aerospace companies, research organizations and academic
  institutions. Examples are TTBW with Boeing, RAVEN (SACD site link) with GT.
• Several partnership models with industry and funding programs. Example is SFNP.
• Several university projects. Example is ULI
  (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/armd/tacp/ui/uli/)