Skylon (Spaceplane) To Face Funding Decision in 2011 - Polidicks

[QUOTE] [IMG]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VyTCyizqrHs/TReXlOyIuII/AAAAAAAAJ6I/RE6Ln9mwM5M/s1600/skylon_orbit.jpg[/IMG] Skylon is a spaceplane that is under development by reaction engines in the UK [QUOTE]Skylon is a design by Reaction Engines Limited for an unpiloted, airbreathing single-stage to orbit, combined cycle jet engine based spaceplane. A fleet of vehicles is envisaged; the design is aiming for reusability up to 200 times. In paper studies, costs per kilogram of payload are hoped to be below the current costs of launch, including the costs of R&D, with costs expected to fall much more over time after the initial expenditures have amortised. The cost of the program has been estimated by the developer to be about $12 billion. The vehicle design is for a hydrogen-powered aircraft that would take off from a conventional runway, and accelerate to Mach 5.4 at 26 km using atmospheric air before switching the engines to use the internal LOX supply to take it to orbit. It would then release a 12-tonne payload, then reenter the atmosphere. The payload would be carried in a standardised payload container or passenger compartment[/QUOTE] The UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills was aksed what the recent assessment he has made of the potential viability of the Skylon Spaceplane; what assessment he has made of his merits of Government support for that project; and if he will make a statement. [QUOTE]David Willetts (Minister of State (Universities and Science), Business, Innovation and Skills; Havant, Conservative) The European Space Agency is funding proof of concept work for Skylon from UK contributions. This work is focusing on demonstrating the viability of the advanced British engine technology that would underpin the project. Initial work will be completed in mid 2011 and if the trial is successful, we will work with industry to consider next steps.[/QUOTE] [/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://nextbigfuture.com/2010/12/skylon-hypersonic-spaceplane-should-see.html[/url]

[quote]The vehicle design is for a hydrogen-powered aircraft that would take off from a conventional runway, and accelerate to Mach 5.4 at 26 km using atmospheric air before switching the engines to use the internal LOX supply to take it to orbit. It would then release a 12-tonne payload, then reenter the atmosphere. The payload would be carried in a standardised payload container or passenger compartment[/quote] [img]http://imgkk.com/i/rhqz.jpg[/img]

Ahhhh, science. How I love thee.

I dear god hope they decide to fund it

[QUOTE=Haxxer;26984241]I dear god hope they decide to fund it[/QUOTE] They'll scrap the project and give the money to more destroyers or aircraft carriers or some shit. I mean, Skylon is getting a grant from ESA. One million dollars. When the estimated cost of the damn thing is ten billion :geno: Obviously it's not going to turn out with lots of luck.

Quick gents, lets dump whatever is left in our Paypal accounts! :v:

[QUOTE=ewitwins;26984384]Quick gents, lets dump whatever is left in our Paypal accounts! :v:[/QUOTE] Or let's all study Aerospace and join the Open Space Movement and make our own Skylon :unsmith:

More like cylon amirite?

You must construct additional Skylons.

For fuck's sake, [b]BUILD IT[/b].

British engineering used to be great but we haven't made anything recently. Now that Harrier jets have retired maybe it's time to create the next advancement. Could this be it? Of course not we have a Tory government obsessed with funding cuts. If they'll gleefully cut university funding why would they assist the indirect product of a university education?

[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;27010468]For fuck's sake, [b]BUILD IT[/b].[/QUOTE] We can build it. We have the technology. But I don't want to spend a lot of money The 6 million peso Skylon!

I'm trying to see the Skylon Tower flying past the moon. [img]http://www.greystone-manor.ca/attachments/Image/skylon.jpg[/img]

This is one of my favourite spacecraft designs, a proper space plane. I really really hope it gets the go ahead. Of course, knowing British and European sensibilities... no chance

The main hurdle with the Skylon is its SABRE engine. Once that is fully developed the rest of the Skylon development is trivial by comparison. As mentioned, ESA did give a small amount of $1 million just for development of the SABRE. Although it's a tiny amount in comparison to the cost of a whole Skylon project, hopefully it'll help boost the SABRE into production. Then the leap between SABRE and Skylon isn't all that big and is only a matter of funding.

[QUOTE=Noth;27010910]We can build it. We have the technology. But I don't want to spend a lot of money The 6 million peso Skylon![/QUOTE] SSTO capability is well worth the money. We spent many billions more building B2s that have never dropped a single nuclear missile they were blank-check-designed to do.

[QUOTE=petieng;27013485]The main hurdle with the Skylon is its SABRE engine. Once that is fully developed the rest of the Skylon development is trivial by comparison. As mentioned, ESA did give a small amount of $1 million just for development of the SABRE. Although it's a tiny amount in comparison to the cost of a whole Skylon project, hopefully it'll help boost the SABRE into production. Then the leap between SABRE and Skylon isn't all that big and is only a matter of funding.[/QUOTE] While SABRE is the biggest technological leap in the entire Skylon project, it isn't really using anything exotic or new save for the heat exchangers. They have built a couple of prototypes for the heat exchangers, and from what I've read they are hopeful they can get it to work. While I doubt the EU will help fund the Skylon project, I do believe Reaction Engines will continue with SABRE as I'm pretty confident someone would be happy to buy the engines. They really are quite unique in that they get you from ground to orbit, although they also have alternate uses, REL had proposed a supersonic transport that could do Britain to Australia in 4 hours using SABRE engines.

Looks to sleek and sexy. I prefer more industrial and gritty stuff. Like space craft that look like they were designed in the Fallout universe, Gears of War universe, or Russia.

[QUOTE=cqbcat;27015498]Looks to sleek and sexy. I prefer more industrial and gritty stuff. Like space craft that look like they were designed in the Fallout universe, Gears of War universe, or Russia.[/QUOTE] too bad all your "OMG RUSSIA GRUNGE" crap isn't aerodynamic and therefore cannot fly

[QUOTE=cqbcat;27015498]Looks to sleek and sexy. I prefer more industrial and gritty stuff. Like space craft that look like they were designed in the Fallout universe, Gears of War universe, or [highlight]Russia[/highlight].[/QUOTE] [img_thumb]http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/ESA-Plans-to-Buy-Russian-Soyuz-Capsules-2.jpg[/img_thumb]? Anyway, that point is moot. What I'm really wondering is how much they expect to lower the price, because to compete with spacecraft like the Falcon X, which can carry about 42 tons for a very low cost, it's going to have to be pretty darn cheap.

This is how Star Trek Enterprise starts off as. A black dildo in space. :ohdear:

[QUOTE=Ama-zake;26984070][img_thumb]http://imgkk.com/i/rhqz.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] I don't quite get this.

[QUOTE=Archy;27015839]too bad all your "OMG RUSSIA GRUNGE" crap isn't aerodynamic and therefore cannot fly[/QUOTE] I don't care. I'll leave the aerodynamics and all that other stuff to the technicians who are building the damn spacecraft. But that doesn't stop me from disliking the spacecraft because of aesthetics. I don't like things that look like they were designed by Steve Rimjobs.

[QUOTE=a-k-t-w;27022309]I don't quite get this.[/QUOTE] I would assume that model of car was notorious for coming with a faulty glove box latch that would allow the box to open if you hit even the tiniest bump.

[QUOTE=Eudoxia;26984343]They'll scrap the project and give the money to more destroyers or aircraft carriers or some shit. I mean, Skylon is getting a grant from ESA. One million dollars. When the estimated cost of the damn thing is ten billion :geno: Obviously it's not going to turn out with lots of luck.[/QUOTE] Then sell the carriers to a land locked country. :v:

[QUOTE=theenemy;27010794]British engineering used to be great but we haven't made anything recently. Now that Harrier jets have retired maybe it's time to create the next advancement. Could this be it?[/QUOTE]Well chaps, we'll be able to sort out Johnny Foreigner with these! How can they shoot us down when we're in space, eh?

Actually, the main problem with the Skylon is that if one is ever built, The Hood will be compelled to rig it with a bomb and it'll be forced to land on remote controlled elevator buggies. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOCmI72eRh4[/media]