Skylon

Mission Profile

Skylon is a proposed UK single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane concept developed by Reaction Engines Limited, powered by the revolutionary SABRE engine that operates as an air-breathing jet engine up to Mach 5.5 before switching to rocket mode for orbit. The 82-metre vehicle would take off from a runway, carry up to 17 tonnes to LEO, and land conventionally after reentry, offering fully reusable space access at potentially transformative cost reductions. The key enabling technology — a pre-cooler that chills incoming air from over 1,000°C to -150°C in milliseconds — has been successfully demonstrated in ground tests. Skylon remains in development phase with no committed launch date, dependent on securing investment to progress from engine technology demonstrations to full vehicle development.