X-33

This is an artist's concept of the completely operational International Space Station being approached by an X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). The X-33 program was designed to pave the way to a full-scale, commercially developed RLV as the flagship technology demonstrator for technologies that would lower the cost of access to space. It is unpiloted, taking off vertically like a rocket, reaching an altitude of up to 60 miles and speeds between Mach 13 and 15, and landing horizontally like an airplane. The X-33 program was cancelled in 2001.

Date

2004-04-15

Collection

MSFC

Archive

NASA Image and Video Library

Type

illustration (NASA artwork)

Need photos for a whole script? Add Find Any Photo to Claude and ask for this one by its id: 90852.