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He-112
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The Heinkel He-112 was an unsuccessful pre-war German monoplane fighter, competing for orders with the Bf 109. However it entered rocketry history when tests were conducted with rocket engines....more.
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Me-163
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The rocket-powered Messerschmitt Me-163 was the world's first and only operational pure rocket fighter and represented the culmination of Alexander Lippisch's years...more.
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Winged Titan
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The only trace of this winged version of the Titan launch vehicle are some drawings in popular magazines ca. 1960....more.
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Astroplane
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Martin concept of 1961 for a horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing, single-stage-to-orbit vehicle that would be powered by nuclear magnetohydrodynamic engines....more.
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Douglas Astro
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The Douglas "Astro" was a VTHL TSTO system designed for launching space station crews and cargo by the 1968-70 period. A key requirement was that off-the-shelf...more.
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Martin Astrorocket
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Early two-stage-to-orbit shuttle study, using storable propellants, Dynasoar-configuration delta wing orbiter and booster....more.
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RBSS
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The Recoverable Booster Space System was a plan circulated in the early 1960's to use the XB-70 as a recoverable supersonic first stage for a range of systems....more.
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Aerospaceplane
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Development project from 1958-1963 for a horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing, single-stage-to-orbit vehicle that would carry three crew and additional paylaod from any airfield to orbit and back...more.
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RAE TSTO
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The Royal Aircraft Establishment Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) Concept of the 1960's consisted of a hypersonic air-breathing first stage and rocket powered second stage....more.
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Recoverable Booster Systems for Orbital Logistics
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Lockheed investigated the economics of reusable launch vehicles for crews and light space station cargo during the early 1960s. Anticipated manned space activities...more.
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Isinglass
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CIA air-launched, rocket-powered high speed manned vehicle project of 1965-1968 that developed basic technologies used in later shuttle and reusable launch vehicle programmes....more.
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Mustard
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The British Aircraft Corporation "Multi-Unit Space Transport And Recovery Device" design of 1964-1965 was a winged two-stage-to-orbit reuseable space shuttle using...more.
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RAE Orbital Fighter
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The Royal Aircraft Establishment Orbital Fighter proposal of the 1960's envisioned a two stage vehicle. A ramjet powered first stage would release a second stage...more.
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Spiral 50-50
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The Soviet Air Force had an enduring interest in a horizontal takeoff/horizontal landing, manned, reusable space launch system that could ferry crews and priority...more.
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Saenger I
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Final version of the Saenger spaceplane, as conceived by Eugen Saenger during his lifetime. A rocket propelled sled would be used for horizontal launch of delta-winged,...more.
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TAV
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USAF program of the 1980's that reached the test hardware stage and was leading to a single-stage-to-orbit, rocket-powered, winged manned vehicle. Halted in favour...more.
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VTOHL 45t
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Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing (winged)....more.
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VTOHL 9t
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Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing (winged)....more.
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Copper Canyon
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DARPA program of 1984 that proved the technologies and concept for the X-30 National Aerospace Plane concept....more.
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HOTOL
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This single-stage-to-orbit winged horizontal takeoff/horizontal landing launch vehicle concept was powered by the unique Rolls-Royce RB545 air / liquid hydrogen...more.
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LART
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MBB/ERNO airbreathing horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing single stage to orbit proposal from the mid-1980s. Largely similar to the BAe HOTOL....more.
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Saenger II
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Proposed two stage to orbit vehicle. Air-breathing hypersonic first stage and delta wing second stage. The German Hypersonics Programme and its Saenger II reference...more.
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Mikoyan 301
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The 301 was designed as a military bomber, with a Mach 4 / 4,250 km/hr cruise capability at 25,000 to 27,000 m altitude. It was equipped with two turboramjets,...more.
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Tu-2000
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This Soviet equivalent to the US X-30 single-stage-to-orbit scramjet aerospaceplane began development in1986. Three versions were planned: a Mach 6 test vehicle,...more.
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VKS
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RKK Energia's proposed solution to the Soviet government's MVKS requirement for a single-stage-to-orbit reusable aerospaceplane system was this 700-metric-ton,...more.
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Yakovlev MVKS
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In reaction to US X-30 project, government decrees of 27 January and 19 July 1986 ordered development of a Soviet equivalent. The Ministry of Defence issued technical...more.
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EARL I
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Vertical takoff/horizontal landing two stage launch vehicle study from the 1980s....more.
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STS-2000 SSTO
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Single stage to orbit ramjet/rocket mix power horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing study of the 1980's....more.
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STS-2000 TSTO
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Two stage to orbit horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing variant of STS-2000. Ramjet/rocket mixed power first stage. Mach 6 separation of rocket-powered second stage. French study of the 1980's....more.
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VKS-G
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Air launched from Kholod Mach 5 mother ship. This was a Mikoyan supersonic cargo aircraft, designed from Spiral 50-50 design. Combined-cycle turbo-ramjet engine....more.
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VKS-O
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Vertical takeoff, ballistic re-entry, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/Kerosene/LH2 tripropellant rocket engine powered, reusable launch vehicle. 550 tonne and 770 tonne...more.
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VKS-RTO+ZhRD
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Horizontal takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, launch vehicle. Mixed rocket / ramjet propulsion....more.
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VKS-V
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Vertical takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, Lox/Kerosene/LH2 tripropellant rocket engine powered vehicle. 550 tonne gross liftoff mass and 1000 tonne...more.
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VKS-ZhRD+GPVRD
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Horizontal takeoff, delta winged, single-stage-to-orbit, launch vehicle. Mixed rocket / scramjet propulsion....more.
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DSL HTHL
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Under the Future European Space Transportation Investigation Programme (FESTIP) of 1994-1999 French agencies and contractors designed a number of alternative reusable...more.
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EARL II
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Later EARL version from 1990. Parallel staging, both stages winged and recoverable. Expendable upper stage for heavy-lift missions....more.
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Oriflamme
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French design for a scramjet-powered horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing, single stage to orbit vehicle....more.
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Radiance
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Two stage to orbit horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing vehicle. Booster would be powered by scramjets to Mach 12 separation before second stage separated....more.
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RWDT HTHL
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Under the Future European Space Transportation Investigation Programme (FESTIP) of 1994-1999 French agencies and contractors designed a number of alternative reusable...more.
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Spacebus
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The Bristol Spaceplanes Spacebus was a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) Manned Spaceplane, with an airbreathing supersonic / hypersonic, delta winged first stage and a...more.
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Spacecab
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The Bristol Spaceplanes Spacecab was a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) Manned Spaceplane, with an airbreathing supersonic / hypersonic, delta winged first stage and a...more.
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STAR-H
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Mach 6 hypersonic first stage would launch Hermes spaceplane with an expendable second stage....more.
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TARANIS
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French study of vertical takeoff / horizontal landing, two stage to orbit launch vehicle with expendable orbiter fuel tanks....more.
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X-30
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Air-breathing scramjet single stage to orbit. Second attempt after study of similar proposal in early 1960's. Cancelled due to cost, technical challenges....more.
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Ascender
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The Bristol Spaceplanes Ascender of the 1990`s was a sub-orbital manned spaceplane concept proposed by David Ashford. The Ascender spaceplane would use a small...more.
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17K-AM
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A small two stage to orbit horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing vehicle proposed for the Russian Air Force in 1993....more.
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MIGAKS
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Turbojet/ramjet-powered two stage to orbit horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing vehicle. Mach 6 stage separation. The orbiter had a 2000 km cross-range capability...more.
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Hytex
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Following the cancellation of Saenger II, Germany briefly considered a manned X-15/NASP type flight test vehicle (HYTEX) capable of Mach 6 flight. This too was cancelled for cost reasons....more.
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Japanese Space Plane
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NAL / Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. design for a single stage to orbit spaceplane. Crew of ten, empty mass 110 tonnes. LACE / Scramjet engines, 29 m wingspan....more.
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Skylon
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British single-stage-to-orbit, horizontal-takeoff-horizontal-landing turborocket orbital launch vehicle design of the mid-1990's. The novel lightweight structural...more.
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X-33
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NASA-sponsored suborbital unmanned prototype for a single-stage-to-orbit rocketplane. The Lockheed Martin vehicle would have used a linear aerospike engine, metallic...more.
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Norma
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Semi-reusable vertically launched two-stage-to-orbit vehicle. The flight profile featured a reusable flyback booster launched from a modular launch platform, an...more.
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Orel V2
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In the late 1990's the Russian space industry undertook the Orel programme to evaluate technology for future launch vehicles. The goals included evaluation of possible...more.
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Orel V4
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Fully reusable vertical takeoff, horizontal landing two stage to orbit concept. Abandoned in favor of Orel V6....more.
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Orel V5
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Vertically launched two stage to orbit concept consisting of horizontal landing booster, vertical landing orbiter. Abandoned in favor of Orel V6....more.
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Orel V6
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Fully reusable vertical takeoff / horizontal landing single stage to orbit launch vehicle. The preferred long-term alternative of the Russian Orel launch vehicle study of the 1990's....more.
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Themis
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Themis was a planned ESA booster stage demonstrator, to validate integrated propellant tank technology necessary for a reusable Ariane 5 successor. The demonstrator...more.
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EXTV
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This was to a reusable winged rocket-powered atmospheric reentry demonstrator capable of reaching speeds of Mach 4 to 10 in the atmosphere. The aim was for ESA...more.
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FLTP
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Europe's Future Launcher Technology Program (FLTP) was an ESA study program that ran from 1999-2002, with the objective of identifying and developing technologies...more.
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Ares
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The ARES ((Affordable REsponsive Spacelift) concept was of a reusable fly-back booster with expendable upper stages. The US Air Force began development of a demonstrator...more.
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Venturestar
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Production reusable single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle using technology developed in X-33 testbed....more.
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