While NASA works to return its space shuttle program to flight status and develop a new track for space exploration, two commercial airplane developers have come up with their own approach to the future of flight. But the goal is clear -- a long-range passenger jet capable of transoceanic flights.

In Europe, aircraft engineers with the Toulouse, France-based Airbus are already in the production stage with the Airbus A380, a behemoth of an airplane so large that its wingspan skirts the edge of acceptable size for some airports. Larger than the Boeing 747, the A380 has already attracted orders from European airlines.

"[The A380] is a perfect fit for the current flight market needs today," Airbus spokesman David Voskhul told SPACE.com . "And it's built in such a way to take advantage of the most up-to-date technology."

A successful 7E7 program would be a boon for Chicago-based Boeing, which has taken some knocks of late. Monday's resignation of Boeing CEO Phil Condit, along with delays in an $18 billion contract with the Pentagon for 100 refueling planes pending, have marred the company's reputation as an aerospace leader. Furthermore, Airbus is poised to claim Boeing's throne as the world's largest commercial jet producer after winning a contract to supply aircraft to Qantas, Australia's largest airline. Qantas formerly kept an all-Boeing fleet.

Both Airbus and Boeing hope their new planes will take the long-range flight market to the next level, serving what is anticipated to be a steady growth in commercial air travel over the next decade.

One Airbus market report estimates that the amount of worldwide passenger air traffic will more than double by 2020, while the amount of freight sent by air will triple. Meanwhile, in the near future domestic and international travelers are expected to increase travel spending over the next two years, with a projected $568 billion in 2004 and $594 billion in 2005, according to analysts with the Travel Industry Association of America (TIAA). The projected growth is the first year-by-year boost in travel spending since 2000, with both figures topping the $544 billion spent by travelers in 2003, TIAA officials said.

The finer points of the 7E7 Dreamliner are still being worked out, but past statements from Boeing officials note that a "firm concept" is in hand, allowing engineers to move forward on specific aspects like structural capabilities and flight control.

"This is a significant technical accomplishment," said Mike Bair, senior vice president of the 7E7 program, in a written release. "We are making solid design progress as we make the decisions that will allow us to bring this airplane into service in 2008." Boeing officials were unavailable for a direct interview by SPACE.com.

Boeing designers are touting the Dreamliner as a mid-size craft capable of jumbo jet trips. Three engine manufacturers are working to develop turbines that are 8 percent more efficient than previous versions.

Much of the plane's structure, including the fuselage and wings, will be made of composite materials that are lighter than traditional aircraft materials. Boeing has selected a graphite material -- a stable form of carbon -- combined with a toughened epoxy resin as the main composite. The wings will be made of a mixture of titanium and graphite called a TiGr composite. Such improvements, Boeing officials said, should allow the 7E7 to make the same long-range trips as larger 747 and 777 jets, but on 20 percent less fuel.

Current Dreamliner plans call for three subtly different versions of the aircraft. A baseline version runs 186 feet (57.6 meters) in length, with a seating capacity of 200 passengers in a standard three-class setup and a range of about 7,800 nautical miles (14,445 kilometers). A stretch version of the plane, elongated to 202 feet (61.6 meters) should seat up to 250 passengers in three classes and cover a range of 8,300 nautical miles (15,371 kilometers). Finally, a shorter-range 7E7, with a 300-person single class seating arrangement, should be able to ferry passengers and cargo 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 kilometers).

The Dreamliner's insides should be every bit as advanced as its shell, with aircraft designers keeping the Digital Age in mind when they put designs on paper. A steady real-time Internet connection, for example, should be available for passengers and crewmembers that just can't live without their e-mail fix. The 7E7 interior is also designed to have larger lavatories and the largest windows - with electronic shades - and overhead bins in the commercial aviation. There is even a soothing synthetic "sky," lit by light-emitting diodes, that runs over the aisles.

"The passenger is foremost in our minds," said Klaus Brauer, Boeing's Airplane Interior specialist, in a written statement. "We want passengers to feel welcomed as soon as they board the airplane. Our 7E7 passengers will enjoy a more relaxed and spacious environment that makes their flights more comfortable."

Airbus A380 designers have taken almost the opposite course of their Boeing counterparts, deciding to supersize a jumbo jet to boost range and passenger capacity.

With a wingspan of more than 261 feet (79 meters), the A380 comes close to being too big for most airports. During the plane's development, A380 project managers have worked closely with more than 60 major airports around the world to ensure their aircraft can land.

"We absolutely had to try and fit the plane into an 80-meter by 80-meter box to fit these airports," Voskhul explained. A380 production is currently underway to meet the 129 firm orders already in hand for the new aircraft, he added. The first operational A380 is expected to roll out onto the tarmac in early 2005.

The basic version of the A380 will carry 550 passengers seated in a three-class seating arrangement spread out over two decks and four aisles. A single-class arrangement would seat up to 840 people inside the double decker plane, more than 300 more than the 747. By increasing the passenger load of a single airplane, aircraft like the A380 allow airports to control costs by accommodating more travelers without the necessity of building more runways or terminals.

"That was always one of the drivers for is, to keep operational costs down," Voskhul said.

The sheer size of the A380 - its cabin is 23 feet (7 meters) wide and 166 feet (50 meters) long and claimed to be the widest in the world - has 49 percent more floor space than the 747s in service today. Plane designers said the added lower deck could allow more layout flexibility for trading passenger seats for sleeping cabins, crew rest areas or even business centers or a nursery.

The maximum range of the A380 should be about 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometers), with 13 percent more fuel efficiency than its closest competitor, the 747. Plans for a shorter-range freighter, the A380F, are already underway, with larger or smaller passenger versions to be developed depending on market demand.

Boeing's 747 jumbo jet is one of the most recognizable aircraft flying. It is a staple in long-range air travel and served as a taxi for NASA's space shuttles, ferrying the spacecraft from the landing strip at Edwards Air Force Base to the Florida launch complex at Kennedy Space Center.

The basic design for the 747 was laid out in the mid-1960s, with the first plane rolling onto tarmacs in 1968. In 1989, Boeing upgraded the design to incorporate new in-flight entertainment systems, avionics and winglets to reduce drag. The robust design of the plane has kept it in service, seating 416 passengers in a three-class arrangement and more than 524 total. The planes can reach a maximum range of up to 7,670 nautical miles (14,205 kilometers), depending on the version.

In the mid-1990s, Boeing developed a new jumbo jet, the 777, which could hold up to 550 passengers in a single-class layout (all coach for example) or 368 passengers with traditional three-class seating. The 777 has a shorter range, 5,955 nautical miles (11,029 kilometers), than the 747.