Positive news, but I do wonder where the capital will come from to build the final vehicle. Iteresting if it could really be an ESA sponsored replacement for Ariane 6, or perhaps NASA/US commercial rocket companies could stump up the cash?
Not really related, but sad to read about the final demolition of the national engine test facility recently. Maybe the M2/60,000ft cell might have been useful for SABRE, though it was shut down around a decade+ ago so well beyond recommissioning I guess - I seem to recall only EJ200 was really keeping it open towards at the end.
http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/l...ke-way-7635622