easyJet and Rolls-Royce have announced the successful completion of a major testing milestone using hydrogen as an aviation fuel, marking a significant step in efforts to reduce aviation emissions.

In an industry first, the companies tested a modified Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 aircraft engine reaching full take off power while running on 100% hydrogen, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, near Bay St. Louis Mississippi.

The significant milestone is the result of a four-year program between Rolls-Royce, easyJet and global partners to explore hydrogen as a potential aviation fuel and generate engineering insight for future propulsion applications. easyJet has played a central role in supporting the development of hydrogen gas turbine technology as part of its long-term decarbonization ambitions. Rolls-Royce’s expanded partnership with TCS helped accelerate progress towards its technology goals by adding capability and capacity across critical engineering workstreams.

During this phase of the testing program, engineers demonstrated that a modern jet engine, scalable to power a narrowbody aircraft, can safely operate on gaseous hydrogen across a fully simulated flight cycle, including start-up, take-off, cruise and landing.

The Rolls-Royce program followed an incremental, technology-led approach to prove the fundamental technologies. Progressing from early engine testing at Boscombe Down in the UK in 2022, the technology was scaled and further developed through a UK and European program of component and system rig tests, including the development of a full-scale hydrogen test facility at the HSE, before moving to full integration into a hydrogen fueled demonstrator engine. Earlier modifications also focused on adapting the engine to replace traditional jet fuel with hydrogen while considering both carbon and non-CO2 impacts through an expansive combustion program.

The program has delivered valuable insights into hydrogen combustion, fuel systems and engine integration, supporting the potential for future hydrogen-powered aircraft to help significantly reduce carbon emissions across European and UK aviation while complementing Sustainable Aviation Fuel to support future growth - as reinforced by research published in the report Enabling Hydrogen in the European Aviation Market.