Reaction Engines Limited :: News Update

2009: Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec

Company News On 1st October, REL’s new manufacturing facility was officially opened by Nick Cox from the BNSC. The pre-coolers for the SABRE Engine will be constructed at this location. Our Managing Director, Alan Bond, commented as follows on the opening: ‘We thank the BNSC for all of their effort in helping to obtain the ESA grant of 1 million Euros in February this year. The grant is helping to fund the company’s on-going research into heat exchanger technology. The principal focus is the manufacturing process of heat exchangers where tube drawing and electro-chemical machining are combined to produce the required components. REL’s heat exchangers are on the leading edge of technology and, when complete, will be the most advanced known of in the world.’

Nick Cox of BNSC and Gordon Harrison of Reaction Engines cut the ribbon to open the new manufacturing facility, watched by REL Managing Director Alan Bond

The REL Manufacturing Facility production team.


This October the 60th International Astronautical Congress was held in the city of Daejeon, South Korea and Reaction Engines used the event to launch the SKYLON Users’ Manual. The Manual describes the payload bay interfaces and supplementary systems like upper stages and personnel module that enhance the capability of the basic SKYLON vehicle. Mark Hempsell presented three papers explaining the background to the Manual and these supplementary systems. Reaction Engines was also part of the small UK pavilion at the trade exhibition that accompanies the Congress showing the SKYLON operations video and offering hardcopies of the Users’ Manual. The photograph shows the stand manned by Simon Feast who designed it.


General News During the past month, REL has featured in an article in Next Big Future. See the article here: Next Big Future Interview with Richard Varvill


Website News In support of the release of the SKYLON Users' Manual (available in the PDF Documents section), a new library of images of the various payload bay components has been created, containing images of all the items in medium and high resolution. Payload Bay Image Library FAQ's The site now has a page for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) to address some of the most common questions about SKYLON.

Solar Power Satellites The Reaction Engines report, "Solar Power Satellites and Spaceplanes: The SKYLON Initiative" is now available to download from the PDF Documents section.