Speedy Gonzales - Skylon

Skylon space plane 'will transform high-speed aviation'

Alan Bond, chief engineer at Reaction Engines, says the ability of the Skylon plane to transform into a rocket will open up space travel for the human race.

The Skylon can take off from a standard runway before accelerating to speeds of 19,000 miles per hour taking people to Earth's stratosphere in just 15 minutes.

Alan Bond, chief designer of the Skylon said the breakthrough on creating a device that can cool the air entering an engine allowing it to operate normally at speeds of Mach 5 will transform high-speed aviation.

"It enables an aeroplane, very much a fast aeroplane, but an aeroplane nonetheless, to take off, accelerate at up to five times the speed of sound, turn itself subtly into a rocket, fly into orbit, do a job and come back again.

"The second thing it enables, is a very high speed terrestrial aircraft. For example an aircraft carrying 300 passengers could go from Europe to Australia in about four hours."

He said: "We are looking at a revolution in transportation equilvent to the jet engine.
"Once you've got access to space on that basis, that is the stepping stone to anywhere in the universe and a very exciting future for the human race."