Skylon next space transportation system in Europe? - BBC News

British company designing a European unmanned system raised up cargo into orbit – Reaction Engines Ltd. – signed a contract with the European Space Agency for research on the use rakietoplanu Skylon.

When Skylon finally fly in space?

/ press release

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contract worth 1 million euros was signed by representatives of Reaction Engines Ltd. and the European Space Agency in Paris. At present, work is already underway in the signed agreement, which relates

to verify the possibility of using the ESA Skylon rakietoplanu when taking into account the cost, flexibility and availability of the system since the early years of the next decade.

Study will be completed later this year. Participation in the work will have many companies from the aerospace industry and others. Currently taking part in the work:

- Thales Alenia Space in Italy – responsible for the design platform called Skylon Upper Stage (SUS) to lift loads supplied by the Skylon in LEO on the GEO orbit.
- QinetiQ Space in Belgium – responsible for the development of the different platforms for goods that are being carried in the hold of the Skylon, providing maximum flexibility for mission.
- London Economics – responsible for the preparation of a business model that is well suited to the nature of the industry.
- Grafton Technology in the UK together with a construction company Jacobs – responsible for making the necessary infrastructure to support Skylon from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
- 42 Technology Ltd. in the UK – responsible for the initial conceptual work on fixing cargo in the hold.

Few weeks ago, Reaction Engines Ltd. received a grant of £ 60 million for work on the SABRE engine that will be passed by the British government through national space agency.

Source of information (Reaction Engines)

Maciej Mickiewicz