NASA announced the X-70 Fractal on Wednesday at the UP.Summit at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, describing it as a high-performance, adaptable platform intended to speed testing of advanced aviation technologies.

The crewed aircraft features rapidly reconfigurable flight-control technology that NASA says will let it explore maneuverability in ways not previously demonstrated in crewed flight. It can carry up to 2,000 pounds of experimental payloads internally and externally. According to the agency, the X-70 has a takeoff weight of 10,000 pounds, is designed to cruise at Mach .75, reach altitudes up to 45,000 feet, and provide an operational range exceeding about 1,726 miles (1,500 nautical miles).

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the modular design and ability to swap payloads will help teams move quickly between experiments, and that the first flight under the NASA banner is expected within the next two years. The X-70 joins a line of experimental aircraft that includes the Bell X-1, the X-15 and the X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator.