ESA Spaceplane Revives Bankrupt Firm’s Hypersonic Engine
▼ Summary
– The ESA-backed Invictus project aims to revive a bankrupt company’s hypersonic propulsion technology to build a hydrogen-powered spaceplane by 2031.
– The engine uses pre-cooler technology developed by UK’s Reaction Engines, now led by Frazer-Nash Consultancy with partners like Spirit AeroSystems and Cranfield University.
– The spaceplane targets Mach 5 speeds (6174 km/h), taking off horizontally like a jet and powered by hydrogen for lower emissions and longer endurance.
– The first phase, funded by €7mn from ESA, focuses on a concept design by 2026, featuring a hydrogen-fuelled, air-breathing propulsion system with a pre-cooler to manage extreme heat.
– Spaceplanes could offer a reusable, cost-effective alternative to rockets by using conventional runways and repeated flights, with Frazer-Nash confident in the project’s success.
A groundbreaking hypersonic engine technology from a defunct aerospace company has found new life through an ambitious European spaceplane initiative. The ESA-backed Invictus project plans to develop a hydrogen-powered vehicle capable of reaching Mach 5 speeds while taking off and landing like conventional aircraft.
The innovative propulsion system builds upon pre-cooler technology originally developed by UK-based Reaction Engines before its bankruptcy last year. Many of the firm’s top engineers have since joined Frazer-Nash Consultancy, now leading the Invictus consortium alongside Spirit AeroSystems and Cranfield University. Their goal? To create a reusable spaceplane that operates more efficiently than traditional rockets while producing fewer emissions.
Unlike vertical-launch rockets, this hydrogen-fueled vehicle would take off horizontally, cruise at the edge of space, and return for repeated use. The key to its performance lies in the pre-cooler heat exchanger, which rapidly chills scorching hypersonic airflow using cryogenic hydrogen before it enters the engine. Without this critical component, extreme temperatures would make sustained hypersonic flight impossible.
ESA has committed €7 million to the project’s initial phase, targeting a finalized concept design by 2026. If successful, the spaceplane could revolutionize access to near-space environments, offering a cost-effective, reusable alternative to conventional rocket launches.
Sarah Wilkes of Frazer-Nash expressed confidence in the team’s ability to deliver. “Combining industry expertise with proven engineering talent, we’re well-positioned to turn this vision into reality,” she said. While still in development, the project represents a major step forward in sustainable high-speed aviation and space access.
The Invictus initiative highlights how cutting-edge aerospace innovation can emerge from unexpected places, even a bankrupt company’s unfinished work. If the consortium succeeds, their spaceplane could redefine the future of hypersonic travel and orbital logistics.
(Source: The Next Web)