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Sign in to savethumb|Space Shuttle Discovery|Space Shuttle Discovery
Article
35 sectionsContents
- Principles of operation
- Launch to space
- Space environment
- Atmospheric reentry
- Aerodynamic flight and horizontal landing
- Air-breathing orbital spaceplane concept
- Flown orbital spaceplanes
- Space Shuttle
- Buran
- X-37
- Reusable experimental spacecraft
- Flown suborbital rocket planes
- United States
- Soviet Union
- Japan
- Europe
- Other
- Spaceplanes in development
- China
- Europe
- India
- Japan
- United States
- Unflown spaceplane concepts
- United States
- Soviet Union
- Russia
- Europe
- Japan
- India
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
thumb|Space Shuttle Discovery|Space Shuttle Discovery
A spaceplane is a vehicle that can fly and glide as an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere and function as a spacecraft in outer space. To do so, spaceplanes must incorporate features of both aircraft and spacecraft. Orbital spaceplanes tend to be more similar to conventional spacecraft, while sub-orbital spaceplanes tend to be more similar to fixed-wing aircraft. All spaceplanes as of 2024 have been rocket-powered for takeoff and climb, but have then landed as unpowered gliders.