space plane
Reusable orbital vehicle
A space plane is a vehicle designed to operate both as an aircraft in the atmosphere and as a spacecraft in orbit.
Unlike conventional rockets that launch vertically and are largely disposable, space planes typically take off or land like airplanes and are reusable.
The Space Shuttle was the most famous example; newer designs aim to make orbital flight more routine and economical.
- spaceplaneDual-realm aerospace craft
- shuttleShort-distance transport
- orbiterBody circling another
- flight deckPilot's control area
- reentryComing back in
belly landing · aerospace · hypersonic · glide · cockpit · runway · X-15 · launch · test flight · astronaut · wings · thermal · tiles · payload · altitude · supersonic · horizon · atmosphere
space planespace capsule
Crewed reentry vessel
capsule · reentry capsule · Apollo capsule · Mercury capsule · Soyuz
space planepropeller plane
Aircraft powered by propellers
glider · light aircraft · Cessna · jumbo jet · biplane
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