The UK will invest £60 million ($91.2 million) into a project to build an aircraft that would fly in outer space and make it possible to take hundreds of passengers anywhere in the world in just four hours.
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UK invests $90 to design new technology for a plane to cost $1.1b
Reaction Engines says the heat exchanger, which rapidly cools hot air entering the engine and passed “vital tests” in November 2012, is the first that is light and efficient enough to be used for space travel.
The engine, called Sabre, would power the Skylon, a 276-foot long unpiloted aircraft that would take off and land horizontally, and cost about $1.1 billion to build.
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th November 2013 at 14:20
It’s a nice thought, though.
As much as I love flying, the present LHR-SYD journey is no fun at all, whichever way you go.
By: AlanR - 6th November 2013 at 09:55
I was at a series of astronomy talks last weekend. The final presentation was given by someone involved with this project.
Now, I am not a technical person, but a friend who was with us is an engineer. His comment at the end was something like
“No b****y chance” The technical details had more holes than a Swiss Cheese.
By: Amiga500 - 23rd July 2013 at 17:19
I am sure masses will line up for their $500,000 tickets and air transport will be revolutionized.
Air transport? Ignore the stupid journalists suffering from acute ãrse/elbow.
This thing is paradigm shift in getting stuff into orbit. Look who else has been backing it.
By: tomkeus - 23rd July 2013 at 11:40
make it possible to take hundreds of passengers anywhere in the world in just four hours.[ATTACH=CONFIG]218978[/ATTACH]
I am sure masses will line up for their $500,000 tickets and air transport will be revolutionized.
By: hampden98 - 23rd July 2013 at 08:30
Reminds me of this.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/J-type_327_Nubian_royal_starship
By: Arabella-Cox - 22nd July 2013 at 22:49
It reminds me very much of the Fireflash off Thunderbirds.
I hope this aircraft proves to be a little more successful.
By: hampden98 - 22nd July 2013 at 19:00
I can just imagine the in flight safety passenger information.
“Should we suffer cabin depressurization and your body experience the vacuum of space a pressure suit will not fall from the ceiling.
Try to put on the suit before your blood boils. Vomiting inside the helmet is not advisable”.
By: Amiga500 - 21st July 2013 at 20:27
I have been watching this SABRE engine for a few years now… eagerly watching at that.
Its pretty much why I have little interest in the SCRAMjet stuff DARPA have been working on. SABRE will* make it obsolete before it ever becomes useful.
*assuming SABRE is brought to TRL8/TRL9 on a reasonable timescale.
By: WP840 - 21st July 2013 at 12:49
I remember Barnes Wallis saying that he had a design for an aircraft which would fly to Australia in 4 hours
Australia in four hours? On a good day it takes me that long to get to Hull!
By: AlanR - 21st July 2013 at 10:16
The UK will invest £60 million ($91.2 million) into a project to build an aircraft that would fly in outer space and make it possible to take hundreds of passengers anywhere in the world in just four hours.
I remember Barnes Wallis saying that he had a design for an aircraft which would fly to Australia in 4 hours
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July 21, 2013 at 8:51 am