The spaceplane's thermal protection system is built upon previous generations of atmospheric reentry spacecraft, incorporating silica ceramic tiles.
A spaceplane is a vehicle designed to fly beyond earth's atmosphere and return.
This was also the first spaceflight of a spaceplane in aviation history.
Spacecraft including spaceplanes of reusable systems have major propulsion or landing facilities.
Its major components were a spaceplane orbiter with an external fuel tank and two solid-fuel launch rockets at its side.
Advanced spaceplane concepts in the 1990s and 2000s did use lifting-body designs.
The final agreed design would feature a reusable spaceplane, a disposable external tank and reusable solid-fuel rocket boosters.
The costs were expected to be reduced by the reusable nature of the spaceplane and launch facilities and by somewhat lower fuel-consumption than conventional systems.
