What is the Skylon Spaceplane?

A British company has invested heavily in a multi-year dream to build an aircraft that can fly into space. The company is committed to a key technology capable of sending cargo or passenger cabins into space orbit. The key technology of aerospace aircraft engines is being researched and developed. Aerospace aircraft can deliver cargo or passengers into space in a more economical manner than the current way. Skylon (Cloud Tower) is powered by a hybrid engine: when there is sufficient oxygen in the air, the oxygen in the air is used, otherwise the liquid oxygen carried is used.

Sky tower sky plane

A British company has invested heavily in a multi-year dream to build an aircraft that can fly into space. The company is committed to a key technology capable of sending cargo or passenger cabins into space orbit. The key technology of aerospace aircraft engines is being researched and developed. Aerospace aircraft can deliver cargo or passengers into space in a more economical manner than the current way. Skylon (Cloud Tower) is powered by a hybrid engine: when there is sufficient oxygen in the air, the oxygen in the air is used, otherwise the liquid oxygen carried is used.

It uniquely created a hybrid engine that can take off at an ordinary airport, use a jet engine to climb to an altitude of 28,000 meters, and then use a rocket engine to continue to accelerate into space. After completing the mission, use the rocket to return to the atmosphere, restart the jet engine to fly in the atmosphere, and Landed at the ordinary airport. Because the rocket engine is started at a very low altitude, it saves fuel and money more than the rocket takes off vertically.

Chinese name

Sky tower sky plane

Foreign name

Skylon

Country

United Kingdom

Category

Sky plane

Related

"News Discovery"

the company

British Reaction Corporation

Estimated first flight time

2019

New generation Skylon space plane

British scientists have announced that they are developing a reusable space plane that can reduce the cost of space launches by one-tenth, which is expected to come out in 10 years.

A European research team is developing a new generation of Skylon spacecraft, and engineers from the University of Bristol are also involved in the development. The Skylon spacecraft is reusable and can carry more than 12 tons of cargo into orbit, using the same runway for takeoff and landing. The success of this aircraft depends on the Sabre rocket engine. The University of Bristol participated in the development of the Sabre rocket engine. The Sabre is a unique hybrid engine that, after entering the Earth's atmosphere, can breath air like a traditional jet and transform it into rocket power in space.

In the suction mode, the air is cooled and compressed, and then enters the rocket engine with hydrogen fuel. In rocket mode, hydrogen is burned along with liquid oxygen. Oxford-based Jet Engine Company (REL) led the implementation of this multi-million pound hybrid engine project. Ellen Bond, the company's executive director, said: "Traditional, single-use rockets cost more than £ 70 million per launch, which is a drag on the market. The key to making space launches economical is to use real Reusable spacecraft. "

"This aircraft can take off from the runway, climb directly into space, and automatically return to Earth safely after launching a satellite. Our company has designed and researched the Skylon aircraft and its unique 'Sabre' aspirated engine for many years, which means We are in a good position to achieve this. Skylon aircraft can reduce the cost of entering space by one-tenth. "

Jet Engines will test the air-cooling technology unique to Sabre engines at the Kalam Test Base in Oxfordshire. At the same time, Dr. Neil Taylor of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bristol will lead a demonstration program for advanced rocket nozzles that can quickly adapt to ambient atmospheric pressure. Testing of the Sabre engine combustion chamber will take place in Germany.

Dr Taylor said: "If successful, the whole project will have a huge impact, and it is indeed exciting to think that this will be the beginning of a potential revolution in the space sector." This demonstration project aims to eliminate the Sabre program All highlight technical obstacles. This will pave the way for a comprehensive engine development project and the first Skylon aircraft launch. Engineers at the University of Bristol say the Skylon aircraft will be launched in 10 years.

The project was also supported by the European Space Agency's latest £ 900,000 funding. "This is a classic example of a British company developing world-class technology that will bring exciting changes to the future of space exploration. Jet Engines, the British National Space Centre With the European Space Agency successfully ensuring the smooth implementation of this public-private partnership project, I look forward to seeing continuous progress in this project. "