Some interesting input here chaps. Maybe, at the moment there is little or no direct military use for this beastie, however, that's not to say there never will be. Also spinoffs from development, could well find their way into future Mil. Projects. Did Concorde not benefit from reheat, surely a product of military research ? I also like the statement that basically, if no one gives it a go, no one will and we may miss a new phase of development. It all looks a bit Fireball XL5 to me, but then, as Danny42C says, "you'd never get me up in one of them things".:ooh:

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...psf5fba06b.jpg
OK Venus ? OK Steve.

Smudge :ok:

er...mass?

Smudge ...

This is more like it :ok:

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4cf767b7.jpg

Best ...

Coff.

Herrod mate, read the blurb, they say "lighter". Still wrong with Mass anyway.

OAP

The problem is that you end up spending billions of pounds up front to develop something whose projected cost to orbit, if it works, is about the same as a reusable SpaceX Falcon.

In the long term, to reduce cost much further than that requires a single stage to orbit launcher rather than a multi-stage launcher with reusable stages. But there's no sane business case to get from here to there, while SpaceX can be making money as an expendable launcher while they build up to reusability.

Oddly enough, I looked at it and instantly thought Fireball XL5, but one didnt want to show ones age :p

The name strikes up a similarity too... Still a damn good Battlestar should see them off......... by your Command

:O

Nutty then it would be a cylon :cool:

Incidently, Alan Bond the chap behind HOTOL and Skylon has admitted in the past that he was inspired by the XL5.
Come on Alan, you know no one is going to biuld you a very long runway when we all know Gerry Anderson was right with the railway launch solution nad XL5 is a better name than Skyon.
OK maybe the 'kicker' at the end of the XL5 launch rail isn't exactly practical but it will allow the craft's undercarriage to be a lot lighter (landing mass only to support).

Coff, #23

You're right, that's a mean looking ship, with Blue Steel too. Thanks for that.

Nutloose,

Age is of no consequence when you've watched the original series :)

Smudge :ok:

Calling Capt Steve Zodiac, Capt Zodiac your new Fire Balls are ready!

SGC

Space Patrol was better btw.

Isn't it a pathetic, tragic indictment on our self-destructive mentality that when such a potentially world-changing BRITISH invention is showcased all we can do is descend into sub-moronic comparisons with a puerile 40 year old children's cartoon TV show?

F*** me. No wonder this country is going to the dogs.

Sir George,

Captain Larry Dart, Slim and Husky were indeed "proper" heroes of the puppet diaspora. I'm torn between the two. I do say that Stingray and Thunderbirds was not my thing. Good point well made Sir.

Smudge:ok:

Mushroom;

As for moronic puppet series. Is it a crime to enjoy a memory or two these days ? Perhaps I should queue up for my Liverpool Care Pathway now, before its cancelled. Get a life mate !

Button old chap ... we're just having a bit of fun ;)

Anyway ... you can't tell me that Scottish Aviation didn't get a bit of inspiration for the Bulldog T1, or Hunting with the JP, from uncle Jerry :ok:

http://www.cageyfilms.com/wp-content...upercar_01.jpg

Coff.

Blimey Coff,

I knew a QFI at Cranwell who was the double of your pilot in the picture. Obviously, a self portrait.:eek:

Smudge

Audio clip
 

The audio clip from Alan Bond is the interesting item in this page:

BBC News - UK government excited by 'disruptive' Sabre engine


The bit that was new to me was their intention to bring the manufacturing of their heat exchangers entirely in-house and use that as an opportunity to work out how to reduce the cost by a factor of about 10. It is of interest because it might enable the idea to be applied to all sorts of areas outside space including ordinary jet engines.

The Skylon project is so typically British - a brilliant piece of engineering and an idea that might never see the light of day. But at least it now has some funding.

Let's hope that it will succeed!

Coming from an era when Muffin the Mule was still legal, I personally consider those awful kids' puppet science fiction shows rather poor.

Whereas 'UFO' with ladies such as Wanda Ventham and Gabrielle Drake.....:ok:

Beags,

I've heard of Muffin the mule, and I understand it was very popular in your youth, its nice that in our more enlightened times people can feel free to out their little foibles :rolleyes:

Re reading the Reaction Engines Limited web site blurb on the SKYLON, it does mention a payload bay mounted "Personnel and Cargo Compartment", at a stretch I could see a capability for very rapid deployment of say, an SAS team to a distant area in a hostage situation. Although I suspect we would need some seriously good economic news to justify it. Mind you, by the time it's developed the SAS will probably all fit in it. It's hard to see any real military options without knowing its true capabilities, but as a few have said maybe the engine technology could be adapted to military use.

Smudge :ok:

Having heard all the same promises about paradigm shifting technology 30 years ago...and 20 years ago...and 10 years ago it sounds like an albino pachyderm to me, albeit a hypersonic one.

I really fancy that Lady Penelope.

Is this normal or am I in a splinter group?

wets

I hope we are not creeping in to impropriety here, the mods will surely decide, and I accept my part in it, but giving ex , or existing, servicemen an outlet for their " deviances"? Would surely constitute a breach of the code of reasonable conduct, which is a credit to these forums.:ok:

My original post regarding Skylon was well and truly covered in a few, well thought out posts. I, like many, will wonder if, despite the latest inject of taxpayers money, this project will realise any major benefit to our country. Lets face it, we sold the jet engine for peanuts to our cousins over the water. I really hope this goes well, for no other reason than it would encourage British engineers to develop a new branch of aircraft propulsion. It's right as a country to invest in our scientific and industrial base, my concern would be funding a British invention for a "Foreign" advantage.

"Muffin the Mule" may turn out to be a very relevant phrase if we fail to back our own technology and "allies" take advantage of our weakness.

Smudge

Wets,

I suspect you have just opened a whole new "branch" of thinking. :D