British Space? We wouldn’t Dare…

Naturally they cheered at Filton when she leapt from the runway. The HOTOL prototype, named “Anastasia” after a public campaign, cut through the sky over the Bristol Channel propelled by her Rolls Royce RB545 Swallows. The noise was indescribable, but few complained as they watched the long white space plane take her union flag painted wings briefly into space on her first sub-orbital test run, a quick dash over the western approaches to announce to the world what had been achieved.
HOTOL 'Anastasia' heads out over the Western Approaches. Author
Such was my ten year old mind’s day dream back in the late 80s.
I had watched the tragedy of Challenger, been hooked to the drama of Giotto, poured over the pictures being sent earthwards by the Voyagers and now here was the ultimate for a young fan of Colonel Dare, British Aerospace were designing a space-plane.
And what a plane. It made the shuttle look dumpy and outdated. Here, finally, was that comic book rocket. It would be powered by Rolls Royce engines (naturally), would fly from a runway, nothing would fall off or parachute down, no fuel tank would burn up after use. Here was the 100% reusable, ...