Home > Spaceplane

The orbital spaceplanes successfully flown to date, the United States Space Shuttle and the Soviet Buran, have used their wings to provide aerobraking to return from orbit and to provide lift to allow them to land on a runway like conventional aircraft. Both these vehicles are still designed to ascend to orbit vertically under rocket power like conventional expendable launch vehicles.

Other spaceplane designs use the vehicle's wings to provide lift for the ascent to space as well, in addition to the rocket. As of June 21June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 193 days remaining. June 21 is the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, so is the day of the year with the longest hours of daylight in the northern hemisphe, 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co, the only such craft to reach space have been the X-15The North American X-15 rocket plane was perhaps the most important of the USAF/ USN X-series of experimental aircraft. Although not as famous as the Bell X-1, the X-15 set numerous speed and altitude records in the early 1960s, reaching the edge of space and SpaceShipOneThis article is about flights made by SpaceShipOne. For information on the design of SpaceShipOne, and on related projects and commercial ventures, see the separate article on Tier One. The Scaled Composites Model 316 SpaceShipOne is an experimental air l. Neither of these craft have been capable of entering orbit, and both only start independent flight after being lifted to high altitude by a carrier aircraft. NASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA (established 1958) is the government agency responsible for the United States of America's space program and long-term general aerospace research. A civilian organization, it conducts (or oversees) re and BoeingThe Boeing Company ( NYSE:BA) is a leading American aircraft and aerospace manufacturer, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its largest production facilities near Seattle, Washington. It is also a defense contractor. It is listed on the New York Sto are currently developing uncrewed orbital spaceplane technologies as a low-cost alternative to expendable launch vehicles for satelliteFor other uses, please see Satellite (disambiguation A satellite is an object that orbits another object (known as its primary . The term is often used to describe an artificial satellite (as opposed to natural satellites, or moons). Because all objects e launches (see X-34 , X-37, X-40A )

Future orbital spaceplanes may take off, ascend, descend, and land like conventional aircraft, providing true single stage to orbit capability. Proponents of scramjet technology often cite such a vehicle as being a possible application of that type of engine.

Various types of spaceplanes have been suggested since the early twentieth century. Notable early designs include Friedrich Zander's spaceplane equipped with wings made of combustible alloys that it would burn during its ascent, and Eugen Sänger's Silbervogel bomber design. Winged versions of the V2 rocket were considered during and after World War II, and when public interest in space exploration was high in the 1950s and 60s, winged rocket designs by Wernher von Braun and Willy Ley served to inspire science fiction artists and filmmakers. The X-20 Dyna-Soar was to have been the first orbital spaceplane, but was cancelled in favor of the Space Shuttle.