Hydrogen fuel seems to be a promising technology for the future. The European Space Agency has just reviewed a project for a hydrogen powered spaceship shuttle concept called Skylon.
Being hydrogen powered by radical Sabre engines, Skylon can take off and land at any conventional airport and fly on low orbits too. The hydrogen powered spaceship shuttle will have tanks filled with hydrogen fuel and also with oxygen fuel at -200 degrees. For taking off spaceship will use surrounding air to burn its fuel. The air is need to be cooled from 2000 degrees to -200 degrees in about 0.01of a second and this is possible only by passing it through tiny tubes in a pre cooler before burning the oxygen in the engine.
Next step of the project is to build the prototype of the hydrogen powered engine. One of the advantages of using hydrogen fuel is that one the hydrogen is most abundant element in universe. If the Skylon needs for oxygen on board are minimal there will be more space and rooms for people and research equipment.
The hydrogen fuel technology could prove to be a huge step for mankind to conquer the Universe.
