The top-level goal of the Fundamental Aeronautics Program is to develop system-level,multi-disciplinary capabilities for both civilian and military applications.

The programalso provides long-term investment in research to support and sustain expert competencyin critical core areas of aeronautics

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technology.The Fundamental Aeronautics Program encompasses research and technology spanningfour (4) flight regimes:
Subsonic Fixed Wing, Subsonic Rotary Wing, Supersonics andHypersonics.

It also supports NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration by providing keyaeronautical capabilities that can be adapted for high-speed vehicles exiting and enteringthe atmosphere of our planet as well as operating throughout the atmospheres of otherplanetary bodies such as Mars.The work in the Fundamental Aeronautics Program directly benefits the public throughthe development of techniques and concepts for both subsonic and supersonic vehiclesthat are cleaner, quieter, and more energy efficient.

Research efforts in revolutionaryconfigurations, lighter and stiffer materials, improved propulsion systems, and advancedconcepts for high-lift and drag reduction all target the efficiency and environmentalcompatibility of future air vehicles.

NASA's Vision for Space Exploration will benefitfrom fundamental technology advances that can impact our ability to both access spaceand survive the planetary entry, descent, and landing phase.

The program also helps thecountry develop and maintain excellence in the aeronautics workforce by providingsignificant research opportunities in all of its projects.A major emphasis of the Fundamental Aeronautics Program is on the mastery andintellectual stewardship of key core competencies of Aeronautics for the Nation across allflight regimes.

However, NASA will principally conduct long-term research that is bothfocused and integrated across disciplines in areas that are appropriate to our uniquecapabilities.

NASA will invest broadly and deeply producing knowledge, technology,and tools that are applicable across a broad range of air vehicles.NASA has defined four distinct levels to describe its approach to FundamentalAeronautics technology development:
(1) conduct foundational research to further ourfundamental understanding of the underlying physics and our ability to model thatphysics, (2) leverage the foundational research to develop technologies and analyticaltools focused on discipline-based solutions, (3) integrate methods and technologies todevelop multi-disciplinary solutions, and (4) solve the aeronautics challenges for a broadrange of air vehicles with system-level optimization, assessment and technologyintegration.Interaction with the aeronautics community aligns with the four levels:
(1) NASA willadvance the state of knowledge of the underlying physics and its modeling by partneringwith universities and companies engaged in foundational research, (2) NASA willinvestigate discipline-related challenges and will interact with the aeronautics communityA-2through published reports and direct technology transfer, (3) NASA will develop multidisciplinarymethods and technologies, and disseminate them in published reports anddirect technology transfer, and (4) NASA will collaborate with industry by means ofnon-reimbursable cooperative agreements to address system-level challenges at the precompetitivelevel.The awards from this NRA will support U. S. leadership in aerospace through itscommitment to identify and advance innovative ideas, concepts, technologies, andapproaches to the aeronautics challenges described below for each of the fourFundamental Aeronautics thrust areas.Milestone references are provided in the sections below under the heading “NASAMilestones” so that it is possible to see how the NRA topics fit into the NASAFundamental Aeronautics research plan.

These milestones are listed on project roadmapsthat are available on the ARMD website (www.aeronautics.nasa.gov, under the Programslink).