Originally posted on this date, in "Aviation".
by dryson » Tue Mar 24, 2009 4:46 pm
I was reading about the Skylon at
http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/. It seems like a noteworthy project to discuss and bring into use. Although not the shuttle it would reduce the cost of sending craft manned by humans into space which costs millions extra because of the life support systems, involved. Of noteable remarks is the Sabre Engine it uses. Able to use a conventional jet engine while in the Earth's atmopshere but when it travels into space uses stored chemical fuel. I see a great potential in this type of design as it can be recovered and used again which saves on the waste of sending stage style rockets into space, which allows for more money to be spent in other areas that would have been lost in the spent stage's of another type of rocket. I can also see a human delivery type as well being developed that would ferry humans into space, unload them at a station and then return to Earth or kept on station as a return craft.