High-power superconducting electric propulsion for sustainable aviation: architectures, technologies, and future outlook

Abstract Achieving sustainable aviation requires high-power, high-efficiency, and lightweight electric propulsion systems, with superconducting technology showing great potential for significantly enhancing electrical component performance. This paper presents a comprehensive review of megawatt-class superconducting propulsion architectures for aircraft, highlighting their principles, benefits, limitations, and technology readiness levels. A comprehensive analysis is provided on four critical aspects of superconducting power transmission and distribution—superconducting cables, cryogenic power electronics, superconducting fault current limiters, and superconducting magnetic energy storage—with an emphasis on their developmental progress, technical barriers, and future prospects. A comparative assessment of prospective architectures toward 2035 is conducted under three scenarios: conservative, baseline, and optimistic. Findings suggest that for a 5 MW regional aircraft utilizing hydrogen fuel cells, superconducting hybrid-electric propulsion can significantly reduce system weight and enhance power density. For a 10 MW single-aisle aircraft with turbine engines, a parallel hybrid configuration offers superior efficiency and density. Considering the system-control complexities associated with mechanical coupling, the DC transmission series turbo-electric hybrid propulsion system is identified as a particularly promising pathway, aligning with the anticipated trajectory of high-power aviation systems.