Aircraft-like operations for space launches could be key to effectively replenish mega-constellations' failed satellites. The UK spaceplane, Skylon, and its air-breathing SABRE rocket engine have been the subject of recent market and technology studies. This year, an engineering test model of SABRE's air-breathing core will be demonstrated in ground tests, not a flight weight model. In February, Reaction Engines announced that it had completed its test programmes for two important SABRE subsystems: the HX3 heat exchanger and the engine pre-burner. SABRE stands for synergetic air-breathing rocket engine and, while Skylon was a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) concept with a 15t payload capacity, the recent intra-European investigations have focused on a two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) approach.
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