Very large aircraft with alternate fuels - LH2 most promising

Optimum designs of cargo aircraft using alternate fuels and carrying large payloads roundtrip over transoceanic distances without refueling are developed and compared. Synthetic jet propulsion (JP) fuel, liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel, and nuclear power are considered. In relation to the JP aircraft, the LH2 aircraft is found to have lower ramp weights (by 25%) and lower trip costs (15%). The ramp weights and trip costs of the nuclear aircraft are, respectively, approximately 5 and 20% higher than those for the JP aircraft. With JP aircraft trip costs the most sensitive to fuel price, it is believed that rising prices in the future will make LH2 and nuclear power increasingly attractive.