This will be kinda cool to see get off the ground. I was a bit saddened when the concords were shutdown, it was like stepping backwards in terms of advancements in technology. I hope this works out.

That design concept looks very familiar...almost like the Fireflash supersonic airliner from Thunderbirds

Nice idea, but why does it look like the BAe HOTOL mated with a Myasischev Bounder?

I noticed that as well Waynos.

The people with the idea at Reaction Engines for the A2 have been around for quite a while and their Skylon project is very similar in function to what was planed for the HOTOL. The simple reason for its being similar to HOTOL is that its a lot of the same people from the Rolls Royce engine design team that went on to create Skylon and now A2.
Reaction has been pursuing this concept for over 15 years and so far it hasn't attracted much interest. As of 1992, the company had estimated that it would take at least 10 years and $10 billion to develop the Skylon which has stayed on the drawing board and no where else. The small number of investments that the company has received has been invested into basic research on the Sabre engine.
Its interesting that the European Space Agency is interested as they had been with the HOTOL and then withdrew support. Its possible that the last 20 years in time and tech have changed their minds but I think you will find that this concept will still struggle with the same issues as Hortol when you look at the structure and the center or pressure.

[edit on 7-2-2008 by Canada_EH]

i have just 1 word for you: thunderbirds

So... any particular reason why they decided not to give it windows?