The Electrification of Air . . . And Space

The hot subject at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Propulsion & Energy conference in Cincinnatti, Ohio, on July 9-13 was electrification—of aircraft, spacecraft and even the surface of the Moon. Hybrid propulsion, electric thrusters, nuclear powerplants, even hypersonic engines—Aviation Week editors Guy Norris and Graham Warwick take time off from covering the conference (and watching the World Cup) to discuss some of technologies that are changing thinking on power in aerospace.