Very cool!
I suggest you skip to the 2:00 mark...
SKYLON is the successor to Britain's HOTOL spaceplane concept, being developed by Reaction Engines Ltd (REL). It is an unpiloted fully reusable aircraft-like vehicle capable of transporting 12 tonnes of cargo into space and is intended as a replacement for expensive expendable launchers in the commerical market.
Reaction Engines has announced that is has successfully tested the key pre-cooler component of its revolutionary SABRE engine crucial to the development of its SKYLON spaceplane. The company claims that craft equipped with SABRE engines will be able to fly to any destination on Earth in under 4 hours, or travel directly into space.
The SABRE engine is capable of operating either as a jet or a rocket, powering aircraft, Reaction Engines claims, at five times the speed of sound within Earth atmosphere, or at 25 times the speed of sound flying directly into orbit. The key to this level of performance is the engine's pre-cooler, which Reaction Engines claims will chill air from over 1000º C (1832º F) to -150º C (-238º F) in under 1/100th of a second.
The pre-cooler technology was the subject of the latest tests, and Reaction Engines claims its prototype, which is already down to flight-weight, demonstrates the necessary structural integrity, aerodynamic stability and lack of vibration necessary. Though the engine's pre-cooling tests are described as preliminary, further tests commencing in August will push this component to the performance ultimately required.
It has taken a team of more than 30 engineers 22 years to get the SABRE engine where it is today.

By: 32oz
In: Science and Technology
Tags: SKYLON, space plane, space craft, space ship, space
Marked as: approved
Views: 1380 | Comments: 17 | Votes: 1 | Favorites: 1 | Shared: 1 | Updates: 0 | Times used in channels: 1
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I wanna go.
Posted Jul-16-2012 Byhgoldschmidt (173.96) 
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Mission success!
Awesome.
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByJigzy (335.68) 
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thunderbirds are go...didnt see brains or virgel..
Posted Jul-16-2012 Bystacer (75.52) 
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damn cool.
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByPaladin65r (247.14) 
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At 2:45 they dubbed some Tardis sound in.
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByDEADBEEF (4174.76) 
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good luck to them i hope it works out, if it does work they should partner or sell the tech to an American company as the U.K does not have the infrastructure or climate to support a private space venture
Posted Jul-16-2012 Bygolem (1773.42) golem View Channel Send Message
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Can't comment, watching Brazil vs USA basketball.
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByBlue3tar (483.30) 
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Very cool if that really works. Skylon though? Sounds like a Godzilla monsters name.
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByRikki_Tikki_Tavi (590.30) Rikki_Tikki_Tavi View Channel Send Message
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Open the pod bay doors Hal
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByRONHELIX (112.32) RONHELIX View Channel Send Message
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similar concepts have been on the drawingboard for 30 years.
no prototype built = same sleepingpill, different package.
Posted Jul-17-2012 ByKasmackba (368.48) Kasmackba View Channel Send Message
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Yeah I don't see that disaster flying anywhere let alone being built.
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByMyheavynuts (500.50) 
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@Myheavynuts I'm sure people thought that about the space shuttle too my friend.
Posted Jul-16-2012 Bybrontemark (371.20) 
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@brontemark Look at it..It's a cool concept but that thing just looks unbalanced and the amount of fuel for something that large to just take off from a airstrip would take large amounts..
The Space shuttle needed a rocket to help it up and out. This thing is just another graphic drawing that's all.
Posted Jul-16-2012 ByMyheavynuts (500.50) 
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@Myheavynuts
If it works, it won't need to haul any oxidizer, just H2 fuel. That is a huge weight advantage over the Shuttle, about 1:8 if I remember my chemistry right.
Well, maybe not nearly as much oxidizer. In the video LOX is shown being loaded. I'm assuming that's the reserve for in-orbit maneuvering and de-orbit burn.
Posted Jul-16-2012 Bymoanranger (246.72) 
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