#12 – The Perlan Project: soaring to the edge of space

This episode features an in-depth look at the Perlan Project. The mission of the Perlan Project is to fly an engineless aircraft to the edge of space, in this case, by taking advantage of an aerodynamic phenomenon known as wave lift. Not only is soaring to 90,000 feet an audacious goal, but on top of that, the Perlan Project is a worldwide collaborative project run entirely by aviation enthusiasts, scientists, engineers and adventurous pilots. Noone has ever soared to the edge of space in a glider and so the Perlan engineers are venturing into unchartered aviation territory on their own. On this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast I speak to Project Manager Morgan Sandercock and Flight Test Engineer Alan Lawless about:

• the genesis and history of the Perlan Project
• how one goes about designing, manufacturing and testing a glider that is to fly to the edge of space
• past success stories
• and the team's future plans for breaking aviation records.

In case you personally want to support the Perlan Project as a donor, you can do so on the Perlan Project donor page. 

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. If you want to support the show then please leave a review; share it on social media with your friends and family; or support us directly on Patreon. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process visit SAMPE's website, or consider attending one of SAMPE’s conferences, such as CAMX, the largest and most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event for products, solutions, networking, and advanced industry thinking.

This episode is also sponsored by StressEbook.com, which is an online hub for you if you are interested in aerospace stress engineering. StressEbook.com provides world-class engineering services and online courses on the stress analysis of aircraft structures, as well as a free ebook and blog. No matter if you’re a junior or senior structural analyst, stressEbook.com provides you with the skills and know-how to become a champion in your workplace.