SKYLON: Destination Moon
SKYLON will revolutionize access to the
Moon, with Fluyt.
Fluyt is a spacecraft that can travel from
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to lunar orbit, working in relay with SKYLON, to get
people and equipment to the Moon.
Firstly, SKYLONs bring up from earth all
the modules and fuel to set up the Fluyt support station in LEO, including
Fluyts themselves, each transported in two SKYLON flights.
SKYLON then brings up the modules for a
lunar orbital station which are transported to lunar orbit by Fluyt, and
assembled there.
The landings are also supported by
deliveries of equipment directly to the moon by SKYLON and a reusable upper
stage.
A SKYLON can then take off from Earth with
people on board, in the SKYLON passenger module.
The people transfer from SKYLON to a
MULTI-ROLE CAPSULE 
, which is taken by a Fluyt to the lunar orbital station.
The MULTI-ROLE CAPSULE , is also the lunar lander. HOORAY!
SKYLON brings up the modules for a lunar base
station and Fluyt takes them to orbit the Moon. The lunar base station deploys
to the Moon’s surface robotically.
SKYLON and Fluyt set up all this
infrastructure with the ability to shift 500kg of equipment in a year
Here’s
a little page about where the Moon Base will be.
The MULTI-ROLE CAPSULE keeps being useful, taking people all the way back to Earth by
directly entering the atmosphere. Maybe further in the future, it could connect
with a SKYLON to land people safely at the SKYLON Spaceport on Earth.
*Details here taken from
SPACE STATION ELEMENT
COMMONALITY BETWEEN LEO AND LUNAR INFRASTRUCTURES
Mark Hempsell
Reaction Engines Limited,
October 2011