Program 11, Episode 301

On The Runway

The ability to travel into space is still a relatively recent phenomenon. Many of the early rockets that were used to blast man into space were no more than ballistic missiles with a capsule strapped on top. Although these rockets worked well, they were very expensive because they were only used once then discarded. This changed in the early 1980's when the world's only reusable launch vehicle, the Space Shuttle, came into service.  

Over its years of service, the shuttle program truly opened up technological and scientific exploration. However, NASA has turned its attention toward finding the Next Generation of Reusable Space Craft.

To help make the next generation of space craft possible, NASA researchers have begun developing and testing many different ideas and vehicle systems. These new vehicles are so revolutionary that they will soon change the way we all think about space travel.