With recent sucessful testing of the revelutionary Sabre engine it seems that a final push for funding is required for the Skylon spaceplane project.

It also seems that it is being taken seriously this time:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18784866

Not seen this tech before.

Really interesting. Good find.

I'm still left wondering "what about re-enrty?" but that's me.

I would assume it would be along the same lines as the Virgin Galactic Spaceship2

This idea has been around for decades, 30 years + but only now does it seem that the tech has caught up with the dreams and finally is being pursued

So the Sabre engine seems to have got the ESA seal of approval after successful engine tests, so now come the big test......will it UK government backing and the required private finance to make the potential into reality?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20510112

Looks like they (the UK) have a new plane coming out soon 

Possibly two if that article is correct, the hypersonic liner and a spaceplane too Syber.

Times are looking bright for the UK aviation industry if we don't follow historical procedure and screw it all up 

Assuming it does get built, it will prob be an ESA thing due to cost. But we'd still have the IP on the engine design. 

Here's hoping they can build a reusable space plane to go with the engine. The better a plane flies the worse it is at re-entry as far as I can tell. I realise it's difficult to build these things but rockets are sooo last century. 

Latest Article on this project as it's been a bit quiet on the Skylon front:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23332592

more news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23590080

I just found this rather good article on the brains behind Skylon and it's rather convoluted past:

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-08/12/skylon-alan-bond

Great find DD1975  I love the concept of this , though to be honest the shape I'm not to found of.

The shape I think is born of necessity to be honest Syber, I'm not sure there is much alternative to the shape they have come up with.

In the article you note they mentioned that the previous project Hotol had a serious centre of gravity problem to to mounting the engines at the rear of the craft.

QuoteI'm not sure there is much alternative to the shape they have come up with.

The shape I agree is needed to be that way, But I feel it would look better if the rear wings where centered to the crafts circumference like the front ones instead of being offset towards the bottom.

At this stage it's merely a concept so don't be surprised if that changes.........Although It just occured to me that the Skylon looks quite a lot like the mach 6 airliner (Fireflash) that Gerry Anderson predicted in the Thunderbirds puppet show of the 1960's 

http://thunderbirds.wikia.com/wiki/Fireflash

The only major difference I can see is the placement of engines on the tail!!!!

Gerry really was a genius and was really ahead of his time

I love the concept but have serious reservations about that shape making re-entry.
If it's only sub orbital, then it's not really a space plane. To my mind anyway.

There was a drawing board replacement for the shuttle that was more angular and flew better (than a brick with wings) but they couldn't get a tile to work at the temperatures it would create at the wing edges.