Landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis, a crewed orbital spaceplane Many more spaceplanes have been proposed, but none have reached flight status.Īt least two suborbital rocket-powered aircraft have been launched horizontally into sub-orbital spaceflight from an airborne carrier aircraft before rocketing beyond the Kármán line: the X-15 and SpaceShipOne. Consequently, heavy heat shielding is required during reentry as this kinetic energy is shed in the form of heat. Orbital spaceflight takes place at high velocities, with orbital kinetic energies typically at least 50 times greater than suborbital trajectories. As of 2019 all past, current, and planned orbital vehicles launch vertically on a separate rocket. Another, Dream Chaser, is under development. Three types of spaceplanes have successfully launched to orbit, reentered Earth's atmosphere, and landed: the Space Shuttle, Buran, and the X-37. All spaceplanes to date have been rocket-powered but then landed as unpowered gliders. Orbital spaceplanes tend to be more similar to conventional spacecraft, while sub-orbital spaceplanes tend to be more similar to fixed-wing aircraft.
To do so, spaceplanes must incorporate features of both aircraft and spacecraft. 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.
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