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Since at least in the early 20th century, single-stage-to-orbit reusable launch vehicles have existed in science fiction. In the 1970s, the first reusable launch vehicle, the Space Shuttle, was developed. However, in the 1990s, due to the program's failure to meet expectations, reusable launch vehicle concepts were reduced to prototype testing.
Reusable Launch Vehicle–Technology Demonstration Programme is a series of technology demonstration missions that has been conceived by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) reusable launch vehicle, in which the second stage is a spaceplane.
Falcon 9 is a partially reusable, human-rated, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle [a] designed and manufactured in the United States by SpaceX.The first Falcon 9 launch was on 4 June 2010, and the first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on 8 October 2012. [14]
The goal of the Starship launch system is to be a fully reusable orbital launch and reentry vehicle. [170] The Starship launch system consists of two stages: a Super Heavy booster and a Starship spacecraft; [ 171 ] both have a body made from SAE 304L stainless steel [ 172 ] and are designed to hold liquid oxygen and liquid methane .
Starship is intended to be both a fully reusable spacecraft and launch vehicle. [ c ] Starship's first integrated launch with its booster was in 2023, and it reached space the same year. In 2024, Starship successfully reentered the atmosphere and completed propulsive splashdowns in the Indian Ocean, although as of January 2025 [update] it has ...
Terran R is a heavy-lift two-stage, partially reusable launch vehicle under development by Relativity Space. The vehicle is partially constructed with 3D printing technologies, like its predecessor, the small-lift Terran 1. [2] [3] The first flight is expected to be in 2026. [4]
Boeing has announced that an unmanned, reusable U.S. Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle was returned to orbit Tuesday aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The launch was done for the ...
An alternative to scale is to make the discarded stages practically reusable: this was the original design goal of the Space Shuttle phase B studies, and is currently pursued by the SpaceX reusable launch system development program with their Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship, and Blue Origin using New Glenn.