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   In late 2023, the ZEROe teams powered on the iron pod, the future   
   hydrogen-propulsion system designed for Airbus' electric concept aircraft. As   
   well as the hydrogen fuel cell system, the iron pod contains the electric   
   motors needed to spin a propeller and the units that control and keep them   
   cool. Its successful power-on at 1.2 megawatts is a pivotal step on Airbus'   
   ZEROe roadmap to put a hydrogen-propulsion aircraft into service by 2035.   
       
   In 2020, Airbus shared four hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts with the   
   public. Three used hydrogen combustion and hybrid engines for power, and the   
   fourth was fully electric, using hydrogen fuel cells and a propeller   
   propulsion system. These fuel cells work by transforming the hydrogen into   
   electricity through a chemical reaction. The by-product of the reaction is   
   simple H2O, resulting in almost zero emissions.   
       
   The huge potential of hydrogen fuel cells to decarbonise aviation made it one   
   of the key technologies chosen to be further explored for the ZEROe   
   demonstrator - but there was a challenge. Although hydrogen fuel cells already   
   existed on the market when the project began, none provided the energy needed   
   to power an aircraft while remaining at an acceptable weight level. So in   
   October 2020, Airbus created Aerostack, a joint venture with ElringKlinger, to   
   develop hydrogen fuel cell stacks that would be at the heart of the electric   
   propulsion system on a ZEROe aircraft.   
       
   Extensive testing on the fuel cell system took place in Ottobrunn, Germany,   
   just 13 kilometres from Munich, at the E-Aircraft System House (EAS). The   
   Airbus facility is the largest test house for alternative propulsion systems   
   and fuels in Europe, and it is where the main components of the propulsion   
   system that will power the demonstrator's propellers are tested.   
       
   In June 2023, Airbus announced the successful test campaign of the hydrogen   
   fuel cell system, which reached its full-power level of 1.2 megawatts. It was   
   the most powerful test ever achieved in aviation of a fuel cell designed for   
   large-scale aircraft, and set the stage for the next big step of the project:   
   integrating the full propulsion system with the electrical motor.   
       
   The big day took place at the end of 2023, closing out the year on a high for   
   the ZEROe team. After successfully completing testing of the fuel cell system   
   at 1.2 megawatts in June and the powertrain at 1 megawatt in October, the   
   electric motors of the iron pod were powered on with the hydrogen fuel cells   
   for the first time.   
       
   "It was a huge moment for us because the architecture and design principles of   
   the system are the same as those that we will see in the final design," says   
   Mathias Andriamisaina, Head of Testing and Demonstration on the ZEROe project.   
   "The complete power channel was run at 1.2 megawatts, the power we aim to test   
   on our A380 demonstrator."   
       
   Observing how the many systems interact during this testing is key to enabling   
   the next steps of the project. "This process is how we learn what changes need   
   to be made to make the technology flight-worthy," says Hauke Peer-Luedders,   
   Head of Fuel Cell Propulsion System for ZEROe. "We measure how the propulsion   
   system as a whole works by testing the power needed for several different   
   flight phases, such as takeoff, where we are reaching maximum power levels,   
   and cruising, when we use less power but over a longer period of time."   
       
   "It has been three years since we revealed an aircraft concept 100% powered by   
   hydrogen fuel cells. Since then, we have adhered to our initial timeline and   
   made tremendous progress. The recent success of powering on the iron pod   
   system at 1.2 megawatts is a crucial step towards our goal of putting a   
   hydrogen-powered aircraft in the skies by 2035."   
   - Glenn Llewellyn, Vice President of ZEROe Aircraft at Airbus   
       
   Testing will continue on this first version of the iron pod throughout 2024.   
   Once completed, the next step for the ZEROe team will be to optimise the size,   
   mass and qualifications of the propulsion system to meet flight    
   pecifications. Qualifications include the system's reactions to vibration,   
   humidity and altitude, among other factors.   
       
   Once these optimisations and tests are complete, the fuel cell propulsion   
   system will be installed on the ZEROe multimodal flight test platform - the   
   very first A380 ever produced by Airbus, MSN001. This will be followed by the   
   ground testing of the systems before the pivotal stage of testing them in   
   flight on the A380, currently scheduled for 2026.   
       
   Moderator's observations:   
       
   1) I hear nothing from Boeing in this field   
   2) How did you say that hydrogen will be produced ?    
      
   --- DB4 - 20230201   
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