Space Plane with 3D Printed Engine

A hypersonic 'spaceplane' dubbed Delta Velos (pictured) has been developed in inner Sydney by a team of dedicated engineers

A hypersonic 'spaceplane' is being developed in inner Sydney, but the passengers will be gadgets not people. Named Delta Velos, the sleek vehicle will be powered by four green-hydrogen fuelled scramjet engines to send small satellites into orbit.

Engineer Simon Ringer and his team at the University of Sydney are working with Australian aerospace engineering startup Hypersonix Launch Systems on the zero-emissions spaceplane.

'There will be this Australian-made vehicle which is just a complete leap in technology, travelling at hypersonic speeds,' Professor Ringer told AAP on Thursday.

With the development of sophisticated 3D printers, the so-called additive manufacturing tools, objects have jumped from fun and wacky to industrial and useful.

Additive manufacturing will be used to make flight-critical parts of the spaceplane, which will be powered by the world's first 3D printed scramjet engine.  READ MORE...