A
spaceplane
A spaceplane is a vehicle that can fly and glide like an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere and maneuver like a spacecraft in outer space. To do so, spaceplanes must incorporate features of both aircraft and spacecraft. Orbital spaceplanes te ...
incorporates aspects of both
aeroplanes and
spacecraft
A spacecraft is a vehicle or machine designed to fly in outer space. A type of artificial satellite, spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, p ...
. Most concepts were only capable of
sub-orbital spaceflight
A sub-orbital spaceflight is a spaceflight in which the spacecraft reaches outer space, but its trajectory intersects the atmosphere or surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched, so that it will not complete one orbital re ...
.
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ASSET
In financial accounting, an asset is any resource owned or controlled by a business or an economic entity. It is anything (tangible or intangible) that can be used to produce positive economic value. Assets represent value of ownership that can ...
, , US , ,
Rocket launch
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...
, , Experimental , , 1963 , , Prototype , , , , Uncrewed reentry test vehicle.
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Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar
The Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar ("Dynamic Soarer") was a United States Air Force (USAF) program to develop a spaceplane that could be used for a variety of military missions, including aerial reconnaissance, bombing, space rescue, satellite maintena ...
, , US , ,
Rocket launch
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...
, , Experimental , , 1963 , , Project , , , , Crewed
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Boeing X-37
The Boeing X-37, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), is a reusable robotic spacecraft. It is boosted into space by a launch vehicle, then re-enters Earth's atmosphere and lands as a spaceplane. The X-37 is operated by the United Stat ...
, , US , ,
Rocket launch
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...
, , Utility , , 2010 , , Prototype , , , , Robotic orbiter operated by the United States Armed Forces.
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BOR-4
The BOR-4 (''БОР-4'' russian: Беспилотный Орбитальный Ракетоплан 4, , "Unpiloted Orbital Rocketplane 4") flight vehicle is a scaled (1:2) prototype of the Soviet Spiral VTHL (vertical takeoff, horizontal landin ...
, , USSR , ,
Rocket launch
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...
, , Experimental , , 1982 , , Prototype , , , , Uncrewed reentry test vehicle.
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Buran Shuttle
''Buran'' (russian: Буран, , meaning "Snowstorm" or "Blizzard"; GRAU index serial number: 11F35 1K, construction number: 1.01) was the first spaceplane to be produced as part of the Soviet/Russian Buran program. Besides describing the fir ...
, , USSR , ,
Rocket launch
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...
, , Utility , , 1988 , , Prototype , , , , Crewed orbiter, launched by the
Energia rocket. Only one robotic flight made.
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Dream Chaser
Dream Chaser is an American reusable lifting-body spaceplane being developed by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Space Systems. Originally intended as a crewed vehicle, the Dream Chaser Space System is set to be produced after the cargo vari ...
, , USA, ,
Rocket launch
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...
, , Utility , , 2004, , Project, , , , Uncrewed orbiter, originally intended as a crew vehicle. launched by a
Vulcan-Centaur rocket.
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HOTOL
HOTOL, for Horizontal Take-Off and Landing, was a 1980s British design for a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane that was to be powered by an airbreathing jet engine. Development was being conducted by a consortium led by Rolls-Royce and ...
, , UK , ,
SSTO , , Utility , , 1988 , , Project , , 0 , , Airbreathing rocket engine.
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, Interim
HOTOL
HOTOL, for Horizontal Take-Off and Landing, was a 1980s British design for a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane that was to be powered by an airbreathing jet engine. Development was being conducted by a consortium led by Rolls-Royce and ...
, , UK , ,
Air launch
Air launching is the practice of releasing a rocket, missile, parasite aircraft or other aircraft payload from a mother ship or launch aircraft. The payload craft or missile is often tucked under the wing of the larger mother ship and then "drop ...
, , Utility , , 1991 , , Project , , 0 , , Launched from the
Antonov An-225 Mriya
The Antonov An-225 Mriya ( uk, Антонов Ан-225 Мрія, lit=dream' or 'inspiration; NATO reporting name: Cossack) was a strategic airlift cargo aircraft designed and produced by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union.
It was o ...
, the Buran air lift carrier aircraft.
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Martin X-23 PRIME , , US , ,
Rocket launch
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...
, , Experimental , , 1966 , , Prototype , , , , Uncrewed atmospheric re-entry test vehicle
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North American X-15 , , US , ,
Air launch
Air launching is the practice of releasing a rocket, missile, parasite aircraft or other aircraft payload from a mother ship or launch aircraft. The payload craft or missile is often tucked under the wing of the larger mother ship and then "drop ...
, , Experimental , , 1959 , , Prototype , , 3 , , Air-dropped from a
Boeing B-52
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...
.
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, Sanger
Silbervogel
Silbervogel (German for "silver bird") was a design for a liquid-propellant rocket-powered sub-orbital bomber produced by Eugen Sänger and Irene Bredt in the late 1930s for The Third Reich/Nazi Germany. It is also known as the RaBo ( – "rocke ...
, , Germany , ,
Composite
Composite or compositing may refer to:
Materials
* Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances
** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts
** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials
...
, , Bomber , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , Sub-orbital. Mock up and wind tunnel models only.
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Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne
SpaceShipOne is an experimental air-launched rocket-powered aircraft with sub-orbital spaceflight capability at speeds of up to 3,000 ft/s (900 m/s, 3240 km/h), using a hybrid rocket motor. The design features a unique "feathering" at ...
, , US , ,
Composite
Composite or compositing may refer to:
Materials
* Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances
** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts
** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials
...
, , Transport , , 2004 , , Prototype , , 1 , , first civilian-funded reusable spacecraft, lifted by
White Knight to about 14 km
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Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo , , US , ,
Composite
Composite or compositing may refer to:
Materials
* Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances
** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts
** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials
...
, , Transport , , 2010 , , Prototype , , 2 , , For
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic is an American spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson and his British Virgin Group retains an 11.9% stake through Virgin Investments Limited. It is headquartered in California, and operates from New Mexico. The compan ...
commercial testing.
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Skylon , , UK , ,
SSTO , , Utility , , 1993 , , Project , , , , Continuation of cancelled
HOTOL
HOTOL, for Horizontal Take-Off and Landing, was a 1980s British design for a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane that was to be powered by an airbreathing jet engine. Development was being conducted by a consortium led by Rolls-Royce and ...
.
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,
Space Rider
The Space Rider (Space Reusable Integrated Demonstrator for Europe Return) is a planned uncrewed orbital lifting body spaceplane aiming to provide the European Space Agency (ESA) with affordable and routine access to space.
Spaceplanes
A spaceplane is a vehicle that can fly and glide like an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere and maneuver like a spacecraft in outer space. To do so, spaceplanes must incorporate features of both aircraft and spacecraft. Orbital spaceplanes ten ...