Rocketplanes to Space

This book covers the topic of rocket planes that are launched to orbit, and return to a runway landing. The most common examples are the Space Shuttle and the X-15. The work on rocket planes began in Germany before World War-II, and resulted in operation squadrons, too little, too late. In the United States and Russia, research into the trans-sonic and hypersonic regions continued, with a series of rocket plans and their pilots. The most known examples are the Bell X-1 and the X-15. Spaceplanes can provide crew and logistics support to the International Space Station.