Skylon - the revival of the project reusable kosmoplana

Skylon («Skylon») - the name of the project company Reaction Engines Limited, under which the future can be created by an unmanned spaceship shuttle use, which is expected by its developers, would allow low-cost and reliable access to space. A key part of the project is a unique propulsion system - multi-mode jet engine (English hypersonic precooled hybrid air breathing rocket engine - the engine of the hypersonic combined воздушно-реактивный/ракетный with preliminary cooling).

"Skylon" is a development project Hotol, which is actively developed in the 1980s, experts from companies British Airspace and Rolls Royce, but was discontinued due to lack of funds.

Recently, a small company Reaction Engines, which developed the project Skylon all these years, began to receive strong support from the newly established British Space Agency.

British space agency has commissioned an expert assessment of motor Sabre at ESA. May 24, 2011 European experts presented their conclusion, which essentially boils down to the fact that they see no fundamental defects in the design of the engine.

The main advantage of the rocket plane is that it starts with the earth and returns to her like a normal plane, with no booster stage for entry into orbit it is not required.

Kosmoplan length of 84 meters will have a launch weight of 200 tons, but only 15% of the weight falls on the fuel and oxidizer that can dramatically increase the payload as compared to traditional rocket, and can reduce the cost of putting 1 kg of cargo to geosynchronous orbit to a ; 000 $ - now it is up to 15 000 $.