It’s about time we actually started looking at replacements for the Space Shuttle, the Model T of the Space Age and still the only game in town, this looks quite good and it’s British too.
Until we get to the stage where getting into Earth orbit is like taking a plane, except without all the horrendous security issues, then we will be limited in what we can do. The costs and inconvenience of the rockets being a significant hurdle on our quest.
However, the shuttle is going to be with us for a while yet even at $1.7B a unit plus the $450M launch costs. A masterpiece of human ingenuity and technology.
Now it seems to me that if they think that this technology will be ready in 10 years then they need to be looking at fitting these engines to a multitude of standard lifting bodies not just the one that is proposed. After all once we start getting out there we will be having these spaceplanes flying every day and the payloads will be different. From passengers to spaceship and spacestation components. Could this firm be the Rolls-Royce of the Space Age?
10 Years. I hope he is right. I can’t wait and I noticed he doesn’t say how long till we all have our own spaceships.
Perhaps I’m spoilt with all this SciFi I watch where they seem to have two battered tin cans and a rusty engine and can still get intergalactic travel.