Liquid hydrogen has been identified as a low-emission alternative to hydrocarbon fuel sources for aircraft. Although there has been a notable increase in the number of studies and technology readiness of liquid hydrogen technologies in the recent decade, there is still more research and development necessary to realize commercially viable hydrogen-fueled aviation. Achieving zero boil-off by using active cooling has been identified as a potential method of decreasing the mass and volume of a future liquid hydrogen fueled aircraft. However the lack of literature or data on the thermal performance and specific power of cryocoolers for this application makes it difficult to assess its feasibility. Therefore, a study was performed to develop a reverse turbo-Brayton cryocooler simulation tool, focused on the three heat exchangers of this cooler type. This paper presents the methodology for the development of this tool alongside a case study on a liquid hydrogen fuel tank for TU Delft's flying-V concept. From the case study it has been concluded that the considered RTBC design offers a reduction in the liquid hydrogen mass, however not significant enough to offset the cryocooler's own weight. An improved performance and specific power of the individual components would be required to achieve a net weight reduction.

The final report focused on the detailed design of the final chosen concept, which is a BWB aircraft with a distributed propulsion system powered by liquid hydrogen. Before doing the actual technical design part, a market analysis is made to investigate the future demand for this type of aircraft. To do so, the SWOT analysis, market characteristics, and competitor analysis are made. After that, an estimation of the market dynamics & trends, as well as the expected demand for the aircraft is made. In financial analysis, the financial forecast and strategies for the whole aircraft program are discussed, from which the unit cost, operational cost, return on investment and cost-breakdown structure can be found. The report concludes that the Lightning2 program is a promising step towards more sustainable aviation. It emphasizes the need for further development and adaptation to technological advancements to maintain a competitive position in the market​