Dyna-Soar

Dyna-Soar was a United States Air Force project for a piloted, reusable space plane. It was intended to be launched into orbit by a rocket and capable of performing missions like reconnaissance over the Soviet Union or intercepting satellites. A full-scale vehicle was constructed, and six crew members were selected for training. However, the project was canceled in 1963.1

The concept of a space plane that could maneuver in orbit and glide to a runway landing was an early focus in space exploration planning by both the Soviet Union and the United States. While the X-15, a rocket-powered experimental aircraft, reached the edge of space, it could not achieve orbital flight. Dyna-Soar aimed to fulfill this orbital mission. Instead of space planes, both nations opted for a more direct ballistic approach using capsules for their initial human spaceflight programs.12