SPACE EXPLORATION
ENGINEERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE BEGUN CRITICAL TESTS ON A NEW ENGINE TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED TO LIFT A SPACEPLANE INTO ORBIT. THE PROPOSED SKYLON VEHICLE, FEATURING THE INNOVATIVE SABRE ENGINE WOULD OPERATE LIKE AN AIRLINER, TAKING OFF AND LANDING AT A CONVENTIONAL RUNWAY.Reaction Engines Skylon vehicle is an unpiloted, reusable spaceplane intended to provide inexpensive and reliable access to space. Currently in proof-of-concept phase, the vehicle will take approximately 10 years to develop and will be capable of transporting 12 tonnes of cargo into space.
The proposed Skylon would operate like an airliner, taking off and landing at a conventional runway.
Its major innovation is the Sabre engine, which can breathe air like a jet at lower speeds but switch to a rocket mode in the high atmosphere.
Reaction Engines Limited (REL) believes the test campaign will prove the readiness of Sabres key elements.
This being so, the firm would then approach investors to raise the lb250m needed to take the project into the final design phase.
"We intend to go to the Farnborough International Air Show in July with a clear message," explained REL managing director Alan Bond.
"The message is that Britain has the next step beyond the jet engine; that we can reduce the world to four hours - the maximum time it would take to go anywhere. And that it also gives us aircraft that can go into space, replacing all the expendable rockets we use today."
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