Space Plane

[Speshal]

The Skylon project sounds like a great idea

SKYLON 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.

http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/skylon.html

For UK users here is a video of the engine test.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17867586

 

[Mephistopheles]

Virgin have got one in development I think it costs 200 grand for a ticket and they have already taken bookings

 

[Fenderman]

Indeed. It's a collaboration with maverick aerospace engineer Burt Rutan. In 2004, the won they won the $10m Ansari X Prize for the first independent and privately funded, built and flown "proof o concept" of a re-usable spacecraft. Rutan's SpaceShipOne was sponsored by Branson and performed the required launch, re-entry an dlanding cycle twice within 14 days to claim the prize.

Rutan has retired but his company are, I think, still under contract to build a craft, codenamed White Knight Two, for Branson's Virgin Atlantic, intended to be carrier for space tourism.

 

[FB]

Thought I'd seen this before this is HOTOL revisited:

http://gizmodo.com/5164573/hotol-the-reusable-spaceship-coming-back-from-the-80s