In the 1980s, as the US space shuttle was just starting operations, the UK embarked on an ambitious project called HOTOL—short for Horizontal Take Off and Landing, a radical, air-breathing spaceplane design. Political and funding shifts in the UK ultimately derailed the project, despite the promising technologies it pioneered. The idea was later restarted as Skylon, with key individuals and refined technologies at its core. This project, too, struggled, ultimately shuttering in 2024. Despite this, the promise of rapid, reusable spaceplanes that can launch and land at airports is still coveted by many countries, and efforts continue. Join Rob Coppinger, author of the definitive book on the topic and editor of the UK's "Spaceflight" magazine, as he tells this fascinating story.
Headlines:
New Crater Discovered on the Moon
Boeing Starliner Gains New Life with NASA Support
Starship Flight 14 Gears Up for Launch
Main Topic: British Spaceplanes – HOTOL and Skylon
Rob Coppinger Shares Inspiration and Career Path
Origins and Vision Behind HOTOL
HOTOL vs. the Space Shuttle: Concepts and Challenges
Funding Issues and UK Government Decisions
Evolution from HOTOL to Skylon and Reaction Engines
Technological Innovations: SABRE Engine and Reusability
International Context: Other Spaceplane Projects
Current Status and Future Prospects for UK Spaceplanes
Lessons in Vision, Imagination, and Persisting with Big Ideas
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Rob Coppinger
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