The experimental plane that NASA and Boeing are designing with the aim of meeting a federal emissions target was designated by the Air Force as the X-66A, the space agency and the company said in a statement June 12, 2023. (NASA)

An experimental airplane being developed by NASA and Boeing to meet White House emission targets has been designated as the X-66A by the Air Force.

The plane has a transonic truss-based wing design, meaning it will have extraordinarily long and thin wings stabilized by diagonal struts.

“We’re incredibly proud of this designation because it means that the X-66A will be the next in a long line of experimental aircraft used to validate breakthrough designs that have transformed aviation,” Todd Citron, Boeing chief technology officer, said in a NASA statement issued Monday.

The vision for the X-66A is to improve upon single-aisle aircraft, which form the backbone of passenger jet fleets worldwide, according to the statement.

Single-aisle aircraft account for 50% of global aviation emissions, so creating a sustainable plane of that type would be a boon for the environment, the statement said.

The U.S. has set a target of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from aviation by 2050.

“The X-66A will help shape the future of aviation, a new era where aircraft are greener, cleaner and quieter, and create new possibilities for the flying public and American industry alike,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in the statement.

The plane was funded through NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project.  NASA will spend $425 million over seven years on the project, while the company and its partners will contribute the remainder of the funding, estimated at about $725 million, according to the statement.