This book covers the topic of Spaceplanes, that are launched to orbit, and return to a runway landing. The most common example of a Spaceplane is the Space Shuttle. This discussion is limited to crewed vehicles, and is not comprehensive. This is book ten in a series on Space related topics. Predecessors to the Spaceplane was the Rocket aircraft, starting in Germany prior to World War-2. The technology and some of the experts were brought over to the United States, and the Bell X-1, the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound, and the X-25, the first winged craft to reach Space, resulted. These efforts influenced the Space Shuttle. There are ongoing rocket-powered winged plane projects in several countries, and by several commercial companies as well.
