The test stand will not validate the full Sabre propulsion system, but simply its enabling technology - a special type of pre-cooler heat exchanger.
Reaction Engines' breakthrough is a module containing arrays of extremely fine piping that can extract the heat and plunge the intake gases to minus 140C in just 1/100th of a second.
"It is important to state that the geometry of the pre-cooler is not a model. That is a piece of real Sabre engine," said Mr Bond.
Comment:
I get a bad feeling about our own efforts here. If this works, they will have outsmarted us.
People seem to have this notion that spending a lot of money will guarantee a successful outcome. But that is not necessarily so. Newt Gingrich discussed that in his political speech in Florida about prizes for space achievements- which was criticized for being unrealistic. He said that a well funded group that tried to perfect flying- failed. But the Wright Brothers succeeded despite the fact that they weren't as well funded as that group.
Having deep pockets won't guarantee success in this line of work. A well executed plan that is sound will succeed even if it isn't well funded. The point is that the brains are what counts, not the bucks.
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