When we think of acrobatics, we don’t make any immediate association with robots. Well, apparently we should. Not even juggling is a purely human endeavour any more:
After the disappointment of the Rapture not happening, there is some good news still for those yearning for a global apocalypse: development for an unmanned space-capable jet plane has been green-lighted.
This is another example of mankind’s own subconscious desire to be eradicated by its own machines. Not only is this an advanced robotic plane, it also bears a name that closely resembles a fictional nemesis of mankind: it’s called the Skylon:
The UK and European Space Agencies have given the official go ahead to the Skylon spaceplane, concluding that there are no impediments to the vehicle’s further development.
Skylon, which is under development at the Oxfordshire-based Reaction Engines, is an unpiloted and reusable space jet that can launch into Low Earth Orbit after taking off from a conventional runway.
[Source: Wired UK]
One more step towards the realisation of science fiction as science fact.