Re:Use Both Traditional and Ramjet (Score 2, Interesting)

The A2 vehicle uses four Scimitar engines which are essentially precooled turbo-ramjets. These allow the A2 to fly hypersonically as well as fly economically and quietly subsonically. There is no 'rocket' phase. A hybrid precooled active compression and rocket engine is used on the Skylon SSTO vehicle as designed by Reaction Engines. Precooled engines are the key technologies here and you can learn more about them from the Reaction Engines website. The A2 is the result of a detailed analytical study as requested by the EU, which includes all the manufacturing and operational considerations. The decision to pursue this project will be subject to the economic production of Hydrogen fuel and of course whether people decide there is an appropriate market for it. The current ticket cost would be no more than business class at todays prices. You should get reading about the Skylon spaceplane as the purpose of this vehicle is to provide economic access to low earth orbit, allowing far more science to be conducted for the same cost and resource than is currently possible with expendible launch vehicles.