Airbus tests hydrogen-powered aircraft in push for zero-emission flight

Airbus has completed a key test of a hydrogen-powered aircraft engine, marking a major step toward zero-emission commercial flight by 2035. Hydrogen packs far more energy per kilogram than batteries, but it must be stored cryogenically as a liquid at -253°C, which poses huge engineering challenges for aircraft design. Engineers had to redesign fuel tanks, insulation systems, and the entire propulsion architecture to handle hydrogen safely. The trade-offs are steep: hydrogen planes could eliminate a significant slice of global CO2 emissions from aviation, but they require new airport infrastructure, heavier fuel systems, and safety certifications that do not yet exist. If successful, this technology could transform how the world flies — but it will take coordinated engineering across aircraft, airports, and regulators to make it work at scale.