ESA's new Invictus space plane could be operational in 2031.

ESA's new space plane “Invictus” is one of the next-generation tools for civil and military space missions. The Invictus looks like the Skylon space plane that BAE recently cancelled. The Invictus could be based on technology that was created for Skylon, but the aircraft will have a more capable team working with it. The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to get Invictus airborne and operational at least in 2031. When we think about the Invictus’s role in space missions, we must first look at the cases where the Cold War-era F-4 Phantoms are planned to be used as satellite cargo missions. Those quite fast fighters will climb as high as they can and then launch miniature satellites into orbit. 

The Invictus can also raise similar satellite carriers to the edge of the atmosphere. And then they can launch those satellites far higher than the F-4 or F-15 Eagle. There have been plans to connect auxiliary rocket packs to the F-4 or F-15 that allow them to jump higher before they release the satellite. 

 The Invictus can have rocket-ramjet or more conventional rocket turbojet hybrid systems. The idea in rocket ramjets is that the ramjet engine raises the space plane to the edge of the atmosphere. Then the iris closes the engine face. And then the engine starts to use an internal oxygen source. In rocket turbojets, the system uses normal turbojet engines in atmospheric flight. 

"A US Vought ASM-135 ASAT missile launch on 13 September 1985, which destroyed P78-1" (Wikipedia, Anti-satellite weapon)

Then the system closes the face of the afterburner, and then that system turns the afterburner into a normal rocket. In the simplest engine solution, the aircraft uses turbojets in the atmosphere. When the flight altitude turns high enough, the system turns to use separated rocket engines. The iris at the front of the turbojet is required because the airflow can damage turbine wings. But if developers can install those orbital rocket engines with some other engine type that decreases the weight of the system. 

The staged system, where the aircraft can operate first with turbojets and then turn to ramjet and finally to scramjet, allows it to fly in the atmosphere at a higher speed using atmospheric oxygen. When that space plane jumps out from the atmosphere, it turns to use rocket mode in ramjet engines. 

There is also an idea about high-altitude airships (HAA), or High Altitude platform stations (HAPS), as the satellite launchers. Those airships can rise to altitudes of about 30 kilometers. They can launch bigger satellite carriers than jet fighters. Those platforms can be airships, balloons, or solar-powered aircraft. HAPS can also use things like internal fuel cells. The HAPS can carry a satellite launcher to high altitude and launch it there. 

The idea of aircraft-based satellite launchers is taken from the U.S. military ASAT, Anti-satellite weapon. The F-15 raises that weapon to the highest point of ballistic trajectory and then that system launches the satellite-killer missile. 

The thing in the satellite launchers is that the same systems can also transport anti-satellite (ASAT) systems to orbiters. Satellites are playing a bigger and bigger role in the modern military. Satellites offer reconnaissance information about enemy movements. And there are also killer satellites in space. ASAT systems can take those killer satellites out. So in that case, they play a counterweapon role. But of course, targeting satellites and military communication satellites are good targets for ASAT weapons. 

So, that means anti-satellite weapons will become more important than ever before. The ASAT weapons can also become more vital than ever before because of suspected fractional orbital bombardment systems (FOBS) or EMP weapons that the enemy launches at orbital trajectory. The ASAT system can eliminate those threats. 

https://www.rudebaguette.com/en/2025/07/theyre-back-from-the-dead-cold-war-f-4-phantoms-revived-to-launch-satellites-and-experts-warn-this-is-military-space-2-0/

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/europe-working-to-launch-invictus-hypersonic-space-plane-by-2031-video

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-satellite_weapon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_platform_station

Helium balloons and small space launch vehicles can be the ultimate combination.

The "environment-friendly" or "wallet-friendly" space tourism by using helium balloons is one of the most interesting things in space exploration. The cost of that fun would be about 50 000 USD. Space tourism is accelerating the industrial and scientific use of space because the technologies are made for space tourism are suitable for people who have no astronaut training. And space tourism is a good method to bring investors for the industrial use of space. 

The idea is that the passengers would travel to the edge of space by using helium balloons where is the pressurized cabin. That kind of system would cost less money than the rocket and the views from the high atmosphere are impressive. But the helium balloons can also rise small rockets and space shuttles to the high atmosphere before their rocket stages start to operate. 

Image II Dream Chaser 

The miniature rockets and space shuttles like Pegasus rocket and Dream Chaser space plane can use in scientific missions. But those systems can also equip with small-size remote-control laboratories. In those miniaturized laboratories the operators can grow crystals. That is used in the resonance circuits of the radio transmitters. New chemical compounds that can be used in nanotechnology can produce in the microgravitational environment. 

But those small-size space systems can also interest the military and intelligence operators. The small-size rockets can carry miniaturized recon satellites to low-orbiter. And that kind of satellite can observe the WLAN networks on Earth. But they can also collect data from the communication between hostile recon satellites and earth stations. 

Image III: Pegasus

Also, the miniaturized recon satellites can observe other satellites by using CCD and gamma-ray cameras. Those systems can uncover recon and sleeping satellite bombers like FOBS (Fractional Orbital Bombardment System) which can use for surprise attacks. And satellite-based EMP bombs which purpose is to suppress the communication and combat support systems. Also, satellite-based EMP systems can use to destroy hostile military satellites in conflicts. 

The miniature satellites and space planes can also be used in combat missions. They might equip with rockets or DEW (Directed Energy Weapons). Those systems can destroy other satellites. 

And that thing is making them very capable. In the cases of conflicts. The killer satellites can destroy GPS, communication, and recon satellites. And that makes them an excellent tool for the military. The targets for killer satellites are the combat support systems that are used to control the combat drones and aim the GPS-guided weapons. The size of the killer satellite is not very big. And those systems are already in use or under development. 

https://www.sncorp.com/what-we-do/dream-chaser-space-vehicle/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_Pegasus

Image I: Pinterest

Image II: https://news.yahoo.com/sncs-dream-chaser-spacecraft-supply-154311582.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAB6kRLTe9yd9_RuXBiTcwunVafvQKvElJbjFETU5cm2zJZeCSOIuC9VJdJbXGwg3OI2uOsHGb9ozoWRawRTlK3uybL03T71R76vqf0HHwAty0Xerj7vXMv974mIv4gTqVodLP8CL9Xkl7ikGPrDPyheiE9nryMmBUmkszGo6SSsF

Image III:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_Pegasus