
Image credit: McDonnell Douglas
Image source: Numbers Station

Image credit: McDonnell Douglas
Image source: Numbers Station

Image credit: McDonnell Douglas
Image source: Numbers Station

Image credit: McDonnell Douglas
Image source: Numbers Station


Image credit: McDonnell Douglas




Here are examples of tentative designs for a space shuttle, made public by members of the four industrial teams competing in the project:
Each of pictured space-shuttle versions is a composite craft consisting of two stages, a booster and an orbiter, and is launched vertically like a space rocket, as shown. It’s two stages separate in space, and both return to earth for re-use.
Image credit: Robert McCall
Text and Images: Popular Science




Image credit: McDonnell Douglas