A Guide to U A Guide to U.S. Re-usable Rockets (RLVs) in Development
U.S. Government RLV Projects:
NASA Space Shuttle
-- Status: First launched in 1981
-- Flying average eight flights per year
-- Government-only use
-- No commercial cargoes
X 33
-- Status: In development
-- Planned 15 atmospheric test flights delayed three years until 2001 at earliest
-- Could lead to commercial VentureStar vehicle carrying people and cargo
X 34
-- Status: Test flights underway
-- Planned series of test flights from different U.S. launching sites
-- Un-piloted vehicle carrying small satellites and payloads but no humans
X 38
-- Status: in development
-- Project to develop a possible design for a piloted crew return vehicle for space station
X 40-A
-- Status: Prototype testing underway
-- Project might lead to military spaceplane
X 37
-- Status: In development
-- Vehicle could be military spaceplane or un-piloted commercial logistics vehicle
Private Commercial RLV projects:
Astroliner
-- Developer: Kelly Space and Technology (
http://www.kellyspace.com)-- Type: Two-stage towed winged vehicle carrying people, cargo, pilots.
K 1
-- Developer: Kistler Aerospace Corp.
(http://www.kistleraerospace.com)-- Type: Two-stage un-piloted cargo launcher
Pathfinder
-- Developer: Pioneer Rocketplane (
http://www.rocketplane.com)-- Type: Air-refueled, winged, piloted spaceplane
Roton C 9
-- Developer: Rotary Rocket Co. (
http://www.rotaryrocket.com)-- Type: Piloted vehicle using helicopter rotors to land
SA 1
-- Developer: Space Access
-- Type: un-piloted two- or three-stage spaceplane
Space Cruiser
-- Developer: Vela Technology Development (
http://www.spaceadventures.com)-- Type: Spaceplane carrying passengers, pilots, small cargo
VentureStar
-- Developer: Lockheed Martin (
http://www.venturestar.com or http://www.lmco.com)-- Type: Single-stage lifting body carrying people and cargo. Un-piloted.
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