SABRE engines

[Tonsko]

Apologies if posted before (it's quite old, but understand they've got it working) - using what effectively looks like a super-intercooler for a jet engine.

Reaction Engines said:

In the past, attempts to design single stage to orbit propulsion systems have been unsuccessful largely due to the weight of an on-board oxidiser such as liquid oxygen, needed by conventional rocket engines. One possible solution to reduce the quantity of on-board oxidizer required is by using oxygen already present in the atmosphere in the combustion process just like an ordinary jet engine. This weight saving would enable the transition from single-use multi-stage launch vehicles to multi-use single stage launch vehicles.

Mach 5!
EU to AUS in 4-4.5 hours.
Reusable spaceships!

http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/

[Tonsko]

annodomini2 said:

It's not an intercooler as the air is cooled before being compressed.

This is a detail that has previously eluded me - I just assumed the intercooler cooled the air before it went into the turbo, but you're saying the turbo compresses it and then it's cooled? (In an ICE).

[Tonsko]

MM, not something I'd ever thought about, as I say, just assumed. Ta.