Supersonic aircraft developer Boom Technology has said it is using Amazon Web Services (AWS), including the company’s cloud-based high-performance computing (HPC) capability, to accelerate the design and construction of the XB-1 demonstrator and the follow-on Overture airliner.
Boom, which rolled out the XB-1 in October, said that by using AWS HPC resources it has been able to run thousands of advanced computer simulations concurrently “resulting in an estimated six times increase in productivity versus running these simulations in an on-premises environment.”
The Denver, Colorado-based aircraft company aims to develop the 65-88 seat, Mach 2.2 Overture for entry-into-service by the end of the decade using advances in materials, structures, propulsion and design technology that were not available for the 1960s-era Anglo-French Concorde. A key element of this approach includes the use of AWS cloud computing to help refine the design and simulate flight conditions for the XB-1 demonstrator.
Boom used more than 53 million computer hours on AWS for XB-1 and expects to use more than 100 million compute hours to design and test the Overture. Boom adds that leveraging the AWS suite has eliminated the need to build a high-cost data center. “As we scale up as a company and start developing Overture, AWS HPC will give Boom virtually unlimited compute power, storage, security, and a comprehensive set of services that it will take to achieve our goal of commercial supersonic flight,” the company said.
As it closes in on a shortlist for potential final assembly and flight test sites, Boom also plans to build a “data lake” for its manufacturing operations using Amazon Simple Storage Service. It will also use a related Amazon cloud service to collect and process real-time data from its manufacturing equipment to help streamline workflows and improve quality control.
Boom is due to freeze the final configuration of the Overture late in 2021 prior to the program’s expected formal launch in 2022. This will coincide with ground-breaking for the as-yet undecided production site. Initial parts manufacture will begin in 2023, with roll out of the Overture prototype in 2025. First flight is scheduled for 2026 with entry-into-service expected by 2029 or 2030.
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