While the aerospace pioneer prepares to open a new ZEROe center in Germany specialised in composites for future liquid-hydrogen tanks, technical officer at Airbus announced in Munich the company’s huge leap towards hydrogen-powered aircraft.

In a LinkedIn post, Chief Technical Officer, Sabine Klauke, mentions a critical milestone, revealing that a propulsion system prototype was powered at 1.2 MW. Airbus has developed a nacelle that groups fuel cells and electric motors named iron pod. The test took place on a site destined for electric propulsions, E-Aircraft System House (EAS), in Munich.

Next up would be to test these iron pods in flight aboard a modified A380 with an estimated date in 2026. You can check out the company’s roadmap as well as the more technical details here.

Five ZEDC centres for hydrogen-powered aircraft

While working according to its business plan for 2035, the company announces the opening of a new ZEDC (ZEROe development centre) in Germany. Based in Stade city, between Hamburg and Cuxhaven in Lower Saxony, the centre will focus on composite materials necessary for liquid-hydrogen storage. It will complement the other centres in Bremen (Germany), Nantes (France), Madrid (Spain) and Filton (UK).

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Mariem Ben Tili