Space Plane Engines Being Tested.

The engines are now on test for the new space plane that is being planned. Initial running of the engines seems to be going well. These engines are a new technology and if successful will advance space travel into the next generation. The critical issue of the engines is to be able to cool the air intake rapidly. The space plane will be able to take-off like a conventional aircraft.

Report here:-

www.bbc.co.uk...

great to see whats on the horizon

I hope this works.

It's the sort of thing we used to be good at. I'm quite surprised Sir Richard is not involved.

P.S. and I don't mean Cliff

reply to post by alldaylong


We do have the hypersonic spacecraft that crshed into the ocean backin august. Does mach 20. Too bad it crashed from the sheer speed it was traveling. I wonder how much money that cost the american people now it is just a heap of metal good as a paper weight.

Originally posted by ringlejames
reply to post by alldaylong

 

We do have the hypersonic spacecraft that crshed into the ocean backin august. Does mach 20. Too bad it crashed from the sheer speed it was traveling. I wonder how much money that cost the american people now it is just a heap of metal good as a paper weight.

I am sure some reef fish have made it a good home. Perhaps there is a really happy and large hermit crab crawling aroudn with a really expensive shell on it's back side!

Originally posted by alldaylong
The engines are now on test for the new space plane that is being planned. Initial running of the engines seems to be going well. These engines are a new technology and if successful will advance space travel into the next generation. The critical issue of the engines is to be able to cool the air intake rapidly. The space plane will be able to take-off like a conventional aircraft.

Report here:-

www.bbc.co.uk...

Cool thread and article OP. The only thing I disagree with is the idea that space planes are some how next generation or cutting edge, since the American DOD has been testing and flying space planes since the sixties many now declassified, like the X-15 North American. It's nice that the public is finally being allowed to catch up though, even if it is yesterdays tech.

Originally posted by prisoneronashipoffools

Originally posted by alldaylong
The engines are now on test for the new space plane that is being planned. Initial running of the engines seems to be going well. These engines are a new technology and if successful will advance space travel into the next generation. The critical issue of the engines is to be able to cool the air intake rapidly. The space plane will be able to take-off like a conventional aircraft.

Report here:-

www.bbc.co.uk...

Cool thread and article OP. The only thing I disagree with is the idea that space planes are some how next generation or cutting edge, since the American DOD has been testing and flying space planes since the sixties many now declassified, like the X-15 North American. It's nice that the public is finally being allowed to catch up though, even if it is yesterdays tech.

edit on 27-4-2012 by prisoneronashipoffools because: typos

The North American X-15 and others you mentioned at best could only reach "The edge of outer space" The Skylon will go fully into outer space. There lies the difference.

Originally posted by alldaylong

Originally posted by prisoneronashipoffools

Originally posted by alldaylong
The engines are now on test for the new space plane that is being planned. Initial running of the engines seems to be going well. These engines are a new technology and if successful will advance space travel into the next generation. The critical issue of the engines is to be able to cool the air intake rapidly. The space plane will be able to take-off like a conventional aircraft.

Report here:-

www.bbc.co.uk...

Cool thread and article OP. The only thing I disagree with is the idea that space planes are some how next generation or cutting edge, since the American DOD has been testing and flying space planes since the sixties many now declassified, like the X-15 North American. It's nice that the public is finally being allowed to catch up though, even if it is yesterdays tech.

edit on 27-4-2012 by prisoneronashipoffools because: typos

The North American X-15 and others you mentioned at best could only reach "The edge of outer space" The Skylon will go fully into outer space. There lies the difference.

And you think the DOD stopped? The X-15 was one of their first space planes and was developed in the sixties. In fact the only reason it is now declassified is because it's old tech and old junk to the military now. The fact is while the public space program has been jacking around with vertical launch for far to long the military has already been developing space plane technology for decades. So sorry no to me it is not cutting edge nor next generation. Still cool though.

reply to post by prisoneronashipoffools


At this moment in time there are no space craft that can take off from a conventional runway and fly to the ISS. If Skylon is successfull it will be the first to be able to do so.

Originally posted by alldaylong
reply to post by prisoneronashipoffools

 

At this moment in time there are no space craft that can take off from a conventional runway and fly to the ISS. If Skylon is successfull it will be the first to be able to do so.

Well, I am not trying to pick on you, but I don't agree. I will say right now there is no publicly known space craft that can do that, but I would wager a great deal of money there is actually one flying right now piloted by American pilots at least. Of course due to classifications and national security I have no proof at this time, but who knows in the future when the military finally gets around to declassifying their current space planes, I will probably be vindicated. I guess we can wait and see. Anyway like I said before cool thread and article.

reply to post by prisoneronashipoffools


Here is a full write up on Skylon:-

en.wikipedia.org...

As you can see it is intended to be the new generation space shuttle, but with one major advantage. It has a runway take off capability.

Originally posted by prisoneronashipoffools

Originally posted by alldaylong
reply to post by prisoneronashipoffools

 

At this moment in time there are no space craft that can take off from a conventional runway and fly to the ISS. If Skylon is successfull it will be the first to be able to do so.

Well, I am not trying to pick on you, but I don't agree. I will say right now there is no publicly known space craft that can do that, but I would wager a great deal of money there is actually one flying right now piloted by American pilots at least. Of course due to classifications and national security I have no proof at this time, but who knows in the future when the military finally gets around to declassifying their current space planes, I will probably be vindicated. I guess we can wait and see. Anyway like I said before cool thread and article.

Its not only NASA thats stuck with craft launched mounted on rockets. The US air force just funded and flew one itself.

en.wikipedia.org...

Nobody currently has done SSTO because nobody could make it work. If this gets funded it could be the first real space-plane. Rather than rocket launched glider or air launched rocket plane. The vehicle is cool but its the engine that is the important bit and that could be employed on other vehicles. Thats what sets it apart.

Thanks I looked at it all ready. The thing is the only reason you and others think this is next generation is because NASA has been sitting on their hands with old space shuttle vertical launch technology for decades. They didn't even try to advance their tech really, while the DOD did. That is what people seem to not understand the DOD brags about liking to stay 50 years ahead of mainstream tech and with space they definitely have done so, since NASA has been sitting on their hands using the same old same old for 40 years or so.

Another funny thing is after the last space shuttle tragedy when NASA finally decided to work on space planes for themselves there was a news article that said the DOD pledged to help them develop one in ten years. Why would they need the DOD's help, probably because they have already been there and done that.I simply stand by my statement that if you want cutting edge don't look to the public sector but to the military sector and the classified projects. I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on that.

And to Justwokeup, as far as noone getting it to work, that is just the public sector. Why is that important because surprise surprise the DOD doesn't show what all they are doing and years later when they finally start declassifying old projects you end up finding out that they were working on things long before the public sector. That is why they have classified projects and with a budget of upwards to 520 billion compared to NASA's 16 billion I say they more then likely can get anything they want done, especially since they have been working on space planes for decades longer then NASA has.

Originally posted by prisoneronashipoffools
Thanks I looked at it all ready. The thing is the only reason you and others think this is next generation is because NASA has been sitting on their hands with old space shuttle vertical launch technology for decades. They didn't even try to advance their tech really, while the DOD did. That is what people seem to not understand the DOD brags about liking to stay 50 years ahead of mainstream tech and with space they definitely have done so, since NASA has been sitting on their hands using the same old same old for 40 years or so.

Another funny thing is after the last space shuttle tragedy when NASA finally decided to work on space planes for themselves there was a news article that said the DOD pledged to help them develop one in ten years. Why would they need the DOD's help, probably because they have already been there and done that.I simply stand by my statement that if you want cutting edge don't look to the public sector but to the military sector and the classified projects. I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on that.

And to Justwokeup, as far as noone getting it to work, that is just the public sector. Why is that important because surprise surprise the DOD doesn't show what all they are doing and years later when they finally start declassifying old projects you end up finding out that they were working on things long before the public sector. That is why they have classified projects and with a budget of upwards to 520 billion compared to NASA's 16 billion I say they more then likely can get anything they want done, especially since they have been working on space planes for decades longer then NASA has.

Time will tell I guess. No point us arguing about it.

In any event, anything locked in a black ops hanger is worthless to the world anyway so the point is moot.

Wow that technology is really cool! Seriously a potential game changer right there! I wish the teams working on it all the success and funding they can possibly ask for. Hopefully stuff like this will see space finally become accessible to the masses. The sooner we have factories and habitats in space the better off humanity will be.

Hooray for England!
Wouldn't it be perfect for them to develop a good space program?

That D&D money would be better spent if they made a down payment on one of our utilitary grade black triangles.

Dont underestimate the Europeans. Imagine if the UK AND GERMAN AND FRENCH companies actually got together to develop some hi tech.....well they have...The Tornado, the new Bentleys and Rolls etc.

BAE Systems now have their "Taranis" UCAV in the air....a triangular, UCAV.

Could explain some of the Triangle craft seen over the UK.

BAE is British Aerospace Electronic Systems.

The USA is not alone in Hi Tech...it just has a lot of money.

reply to post by prisoneronashipoffools


I think you're missing something. It's the engines that set this craft apart from other space planes. It uses air as fuel. Splits air into hydrogen and oxygen. It's quite a big step forward in propulsion technology.

Originally posted by mrwiffler
reply to post by prisoneronashipoffools

 

I think you're missing something. It's the engines that set this craft apart from other space planes. It uses air as fuel. Splits air into hydrogen and oxygen. It's quite a big step forward in propulsion technology.

edit on 28-4-2012 by mrwiffler because: cause

The engines are indeed the clever bit. Basically they are Lox/Lh2 high specific impulse rocket engines. The clever bit is that up to mach 5 the engines don't need to use stored Lox to burn with the Lh2. It has a very clever pre-cooling compressor arrangement that allows normal air to be the oxidiser for the portion of the ascent where sufficient air is available, it can ascend at M5 on this engine configuration.

The engine transitions to using stored Lox as the air thins. At some point its burning entirely stored Lox/Lh2 as it accelerates in rocket mode to the speeds necessary for orbit.

Its this ability to not need to carry and use stored Lox for the entire ascent that makes it unique. You don't need to be burdened with all that oxidiser on the runway, or with separate jet and rocket engines, the difference can be payload.