Skylon

Britain has not been a major player in space up to now, but that might be about to change. A British company, Reaction Engines, is developing the Skylon space plane, a huge vehicle capable of carrying a ten ton payload to orbit, that would take off from and land on a runway. This would be the elusive single-stage-to-orbit craft space advocates have dreamed about. Key to the project is a powerful engine that is a jet in atmosphere and a rocket above that. A critical test of the engine is slated for June. If that test is passed, the project will bolt forward. The company is aiming to have Skylon in commercial service by 2020.