Russian engineers have designed an aircraft for intercontinental flights in the stratosphere. It can be called a conditional analogue of the British Skylon.
The stratolet was designed at Kazan National Research Technical University named after Tupolev. It will receive a fuselage with wings, horizontal control surfaces at the front and rear, a combined rocket or air-rocket engine and an upper stage.
Such an arrangement, according to the developers, will make it possible to create an aircraft with a high payload and capable of taking to the sky in a very short period of time. The project can be considered a conditional analogue of the British Skylon, which is expected to make its first flight in the middle of the decade.
Supersonic aircraft for intercontinental flights in the stratosphere
Image source: Rospatent
The advantage of the Russian aircraft over him is called the two-stage principle of flight, thanks to which, it is believed, it will be possible to reduce the refueling mass of the fuel of the last stage and increase the payload.
Supersonic aircraft for intercontinental flights in the stratosphere
Image source: Rospatent
In addition, a reusable carrier equipped with a returnable winged stage is being developed in full swing in Russia. They want to make its prototype at the end of 2022. Earlier it was reported that engineers have begun to create an engine for a promising carrier.
