Spaceplane Concept Receives Euro Funding

draevil writes "BBC News reports that the novel "Skylon" spaceplane design of British firm Reaction Engines has received funding to proceed with its proof-of-concept design for an air-breathing rocket engine. If successful, the Sabre rocket engine will be able to take the Skylon with 12 tonnes of cargo from a runway, to orbit and then back to that runway without the need for disposable components or a piggy-back ride on a larger aircraft. Should the design prove viable, it could see first use within ten years."

Comments

Re:About Time!

[BlueStrat]

Cutting NASA Budgets? NASA got an extra billion in the Obama stimulus package.

You are correct. However I was thinking at the time I posted about proposed cuts to the manned spaceflight program. I know they haven't been enacted yet or anything (to my knowledge), but it just depresses me that I was born in the '50s and grew up with a vibrant manned spaceflight program and went on to work in aerospace. I was really looking forward to seeing humanity progress to at least moon and Mars habitats before I died, along with all the wealth and progress it would bring the US and the world.

Strat