(Source: Space Fellowship)

Back in November 2009 the Spacefleet Project posted an update “Spacefleet Ltd is joining in an international consortium of aerospace companies, based in Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Czech Republic and The Netherlands to bid for funding from the European Union Framework Programme, for a project to develop a novel rocket motor with wide-ranging applications. We will build it into a small, lifting-body vehicle, much like the SF-01 vehicle featured on this site, but unmanned“.

“The small demonstrator will be able to fly up to around 6km above the ground and then be guided remotely back to a runway landing. In this way, the key features of the SF-01 will be demonstrated, without having to build the full-size vehicle. Following this, we hope further developments to lead up to the building of the SF-01“.

The team have now posted an update on their progress “Spacefleet Ltd joined an international consortium of aerospace companies, with members in Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Czech Republic and The Netherlands, to bid for funding from the European Union Framework Programme Number 7, for a project to develop a novel rocket motor with wide-ranging applications. We will build it into a small, lifting-body vehicle, much like the SF-01 vehicle featured on this site, but unmanned and remotely controlled“.

“The considerable volume of electronic “paperwork” was, I’m happy to tell you, completed before the deadline of December 5th, even though we had to change our application from one FP7 “call” to another, because of unacceptable restrictions on the way the consortium could be funded. The application was acknowledged as technically complete, so not rejected automatically. Now, we must wait until February next year to discover whether our application was successful“.

About the SF-01
The SF-01 will cost around €260M to develop and build three vehicles, over three years, after which it will be ready for passenger service. The important feature of the SF-01 is its liquid-fuelled rocket propulsion system, which is specially-designed for long life, high reliability and high safety.

The craft will operate routinely, like a conventional aircraft, and could fly as often as once every day. The cost of a seat will be around €120,000, to begin with, but the price will come down over the following years.