By 2025, RLV's will be still be propelled by rocket engines, but technology will have been developed to enable some fundamental changes in the design of these engines, changes which translate into a much greater portion of an RLV that can be devoted to payload, rather than propulsion. The chief development will be a significant reduction in the need for on-board propellant. For example, instead of carrying all the oxidizer, such as liquid oxygen, on board, the engines will be designed to burn the air of the atmosphere for an extended part of the launch phase. These innovations work their benefit primarily by cutting the takeoff weight of the RLV, and allowing it to conserve its on-board propellants for the final thrust above the atmosphere and into orbit.
Simplicity is one of the keys to reducing the cost of access to space.
Under a task presently in negotiation, Techland Research would provide inlet and propulsion system design and experimental evaluation expertise.