Skylon must conquer the stratosphere in XNUMX minutes after takeoff

The technology of jet engines capable of operating both in the atmosphere both jet and ex-atmospheric rocket engines, referred to as SABER, should be used in the construction of "spaceships" capable of speeds up to 30 km/h. hour

Based on this technology, British engineers want to build Skylon aircraft capable of reaching the stratosphere fifteen minutes after takeoff. Vehicles are considered a potential competitor to Richard Branson's suborbital travel system. However, unlike the Virgin Galactic units carried by the aircraft from which they fly into low orbit, the Skylon must fly straight and regardless of the runway to its maximum altitude.

The SABER engine is based on a two-phase mode of operation - it runs on hydrogen fuel that is burned by air that passes through the intake pipes, where it is compressed and cooled to a temperature close to a liquid state. This is possible thanks to the compressor and compressor system operating in a closed helium circuit.

The cooled air enters the combustion chamber, and the heat from the cooling process is used to heat the liquid hydrogen fuel before it is injected into the combustion chamber. The process proceeds at a speed 5,5 times the speed of sound and the height at which the air becomes too rarefied. The jets automatically close, and the machine goes into a "rocket" mode of operation on hydrogen fuel.

Here is a video visualization of the Skylon mission.

SKYLON Space Plane: Mission Animation