Multi-million pound boost brings British space plane engine nearer
A REVOLUTIONARY British space plan enging that could turn science fiction into fact may be test fired in just four years following an £8m boost from the European Space Agency (ESA).
The new commitment to the Sabre project was announced at the Farnborough International Air Show.
Sabre (Synergistic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine) is being developed by Reaction Engines, in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The engine is designed to tap oxygen from the atmosphere in the early part of a space flight before switching to conventional rocket mode.
ESA director Franco Ongaro said: “(The contract) should take us to a point where we can expect to be testing a demonstrator engine in 2020.”