The Hypersonic Precooled Combined Cycle Engine (HPCCE), which introduces pre-cooler into traditional hypersonic engine, is regarded as the most promising propulsion system for realizing a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle. The unique demands lead to the application of the com-pact heat exchangers, which can realize high thrust-to-weight ratio, sufficient specific impulse and high compression ratio. However, it is challenging to accurately manufacture the compact heat exchanger due to its extremely high heat dissipation capacity, remarkable compactness, superior adaptability and harsh operating condition. This review summarizes the precooling schemes of combined cycle propulsions and describes the demands and key issues in the fabrication of a com-pact heat exchanger for HPCCE. The investigation focuses on the application of various microman-ufacturing methods of heat exchangers constructed from tubes of less than 1 mm in diameter and microchannels of less than 200 micrometers. Various micromanufacturing processes, which include microforming, micromachining, stereolithography, chemical etching, 3D printing, joining and other advanced microfabricating processes, were reviewed. In addition, the technologies are compared in terms of dimensional tolerance, material compatibility, and process applicability. Furthermore, the boundaries of the micromanufacturing constraints are specified as references for the design of com-pact heat exchangers. Ultimately, the technological difficulties and development trends are dis-cussed for the fabrication of compact heat exchangers for HPCCE.