In aerospace, Skylon is a design by Reaction Engines Limited (managed by British rocket scientist Alan Bond) for an airbreathing single-stage to orbit, precooled air turborocket based spaceplane. A fleet of vehicles is envisaged; each vehicle would be reusable at least 200 times. Costs per kilogram of payload would be below the current costs of launch (as of 2006), including the costs of R&D;, with costs expected to fall much more over time after...
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In aerospace, Skylon is a design by Reaction Engines Limited (managed by British rocket scientist Alan Bond) for an airbreathing single-stage to orbit, precooled air turborocket based spaceplane. A fleet of vehicles is envisaged; each vehicle would be reusable at least 200 times. Costs per kilogram of payload would be below the current costs of launch (as of 2006), 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, including production of a small fleet of aircraft has been estimated to be about $10 billion.
The vehicle would be a hydrogen-powered aircraft that would take off from a conventional runway, and accelerate to Mach 5.5 at 26 km before switching the rocket engine to internal LOX supply to take it to orbit. It would then release a 12-tonne payload, and reenter. The payload would be carried in a standard payload container.
During reentry the relatively light vehicle would fly back...
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