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Have there been any examples of re-usable rockets in the past?

Why won't the SLS boosters be recovered?Do any realistic rocket systems use different substances for propellant and fuel?How many 1st stage boosters will SpaceX settle for, for its LEO/GTO fleet?Is the Paramagnetism of Liquid Oxygen Ever Considered in Engine or Tank Design?How do rocket propellant combinations rank in terms of “brightness”?How can phenolic (resin?) handle rocket engine nozzle temperatures?Why didn't the space shuttle use non-foam-shedding external tanks?How far have autophage rockets been developed?Have there been any other cheap, modular launcher designs like the OTRAG?Heat Shielding Material for Reusable CraftIs the BFB/super heavy likely to have an easier time landing than the Falcon 9 booster?

4

$begingroup$

I am writing a piece about re-usable rockets and I'm wondering, apart from SpaceX, have there been any re-usable rockets in the past, success or 'failure', as in didn't perform as expected.
Obviously there is the Space shuttle, but any others?

Even examples of partial re-use would be great.

rockets space-shuttle reuse

share|improve this question

edited May 15 at 17:41

Russell Borogove

92.7k3312399

asked May 15 at 17:09

RogerRoger

1455

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Besides the orbiter, did you know that the SRBs were also reusable? I think that might be more relevant when compared to modern reusable rockets. Also the different techniques (parachute vs. powered landing) is interesting.
  $endgroup$
  – busdriver
  May 15 at 19:58
  

  
  
  
  


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  $begingroup$
  Related: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-X
  $endgroup$
  – Polygnome
  May 15 at 20:03
  

  
  
  
  


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  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
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  @busdriver "resusable" is a stretch for the SRBs. They took them apart down to every bolt and screw, then built them up again out of different segments. space.stackexchange.com/a/16865/6944 So they flew again, but never as the same unit. A stack of reusable parts, yes.
  $endgroup$
  – Organic Marble
  May 15 at 21:28
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Given you mention the shuttle, would the Gemini space capsule meet your requirements? Gemini 2 was the first true space craft ever to be reused (as opposed to the suborbital X-15) - it flew as part of the Gemini program on 19th jan 1965, and then again as part of the Manned Orbital Laboratory test flight on 3rd November 1966.
  $endgroup$
  – Moo
  May 16 at 0:06
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

I am writing a piece about re-usable rockets and I'm wondering, apart from SpaceX, have there been any re-usable rockets in the past, success or 'failure', as in didn't perform as expected.
Obviously there is the Space shuttle, but any others?

Even examples of partial re-use would be great.

rockets space-shuttle reuse

share|improve this question

edited May 15 at 17:41

Russell Borogove

92.7k3312399

asked May 15 at 17:09

RogerRoger

1455

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Besides the orbiter, did you know that the SRBs were also reusable? I think that might be more relevant when compared to modern reusable rockets. Also the different techniques (parachute vs. powered landing) is interesting.
  $endgroup$
  – busdriver
  May 15 at 19:58
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Related: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-X
  $endgroup$
  – Polygnome
  May 15 at 20:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @busdriver "resusable" is a stretch for the SRBs. They took them apart down to every bolt and screw, then built them up again out of different segments. space.stackexchange.com/a/16865/6944 So they flew again, but never as the same unit. A stack of reusable parts, yes.
  $endgroup$
  – Organic Marble
  May 15 at 21:28
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Given you mention the shuttle, would the Gemini space capsule meet your requirements? Gemini 2 was the first true space craft ever to be reused (as opposed to the suborbital X-15) - it flew as part of the Gemini program on 19th jan 1965, and then again as part of the Manned Orbital Laboratory test flight on 3rd November 1966.
  $endgroup$
  – Moo
  May 16 at 0:06
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

I am writing a piece about re-usable rockets and I'm wondering, apart from SpaceX, have there been any re-usable rockets in the past, success or 'failure', as in didn't perform as expected.
Obviously there is the Space shuttle, but any others?

Even examples of partial re-use would be great.

rockets space-shuttle reuse

share|improve this question

edited May 15 at 17:41

Russell Borogove

92.7k3312399

asked May 15 at 17:09

RogerRoger

1455

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited May 15 at 17:41

Russell Borogove

92.7k3312399

asked May 15 at 17:09

RogerRoger

1455

share|improve this question

edited May 15 at 17:41

Russell Borogove

92.7k3312399

asked May 15 at 17:09

RogerRoger

1455

edited May 15 at 17:41

Russell Borogove

92.7k3312399

edited May 15 at 17:41

Russell Borogove

92.7k3312399

asked May 15 at 17:09

RogerRoger

1455

asked May 15 at 17:09

RogerRoger

1455

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

5

$begingroup$

The X-37 has now flown several times (4 or 5) between two vehicles.

A lifting body design that launches on top of an Atlas V or Falcon 9 booster. The Falcon 9 being reusable in the first stage increases the percentage reused.

Including Magic Octopus's picture from the comments of a landed X-37B to get relative size.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 20:47

answered May 15 at 19:06

geoffcgeoffc

56.8k10166319

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  It's like an adorable tiny space shuttle!
  $endgroup$
  – Magic Octopus Urn
  May 15 at 20:18
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If we did list questions, we could ask "Which are the cutest rockets?"
  $endgroup$
  – geoffc
  May 15 at 20:46
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

It's relatively easy to manage reusability in a rocket if you don't get to orbital speeds.

The X-15 was a rocket powered spaceplane. It was launched from a B-52 jet carrier (at about 13.7km altitude) and flew to the edge of space (several flights to 80km altitude, below the FAI definition of "space", but above the USAF's definition, and two flights above FAI's 100km), but wasn't fast enough to get into orbit. Three were built and flew a total of 199 times between 1959 and 1968. This was a very successful research program, which provided a lot of data for development of the space shuttle as well as demonstrating the value of combining human pilots with automated systems.

Various other rocket-powered aircraft have flown multiple times atmospherically, for example, the Me-163 and Bell X-1, but I imagine you're primarily looking for spacecraft with this question.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 17:32

answered May 15 at 17:25

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

92.7k3312399

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

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5

$begingroup$

The X-37 has now flown several times (4 or 5) between two vehicles.

A lifting body design that launches on top of an Atlas V or Falcon 9 booster. The Falcon 9 being reusable in the first stage increases the percentage reused.

Including Magic Octopus's picture from the comments of a landed X-37B to get relative size.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 20:47

answered May 15 at 19:06

geoffcgeoffc

56.8k10166319

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  It's like an adorable tiny space shuttle!
  $endgroup$
  – Magic Octopus Urn
  May 15 at 20:18
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If we did list questions, we could ask "Which are the cutest rockets?"
  $endgroup$
  – geoffc
  May 15 at 20:46
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

5

$begingroup$

The X-37 has now flown several times (4 or 5) between two vehicles.

A lifting body design that launches on top of an Atlas V or Falcon 9 booster. The Falcon 9 being reusable in the first stage increases the percentage reused.

Including Magic Octopus's picture from the comments of a landed X-37B to get relative size.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 20:47

answered May 15 at 19:06

geoffcgeoffc

56.8k10166319

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  It's like an adorable tiny space shuttle!
  $endgroup$
  – Magic Octopus Urn
  May 15 at 20:18
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  If we did list questions, we could ask "Which are the cutest rockets?"
  $endgroup$
  – geoffc
  May 15 at 20:46
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

The X-37 has now flown several times (4 or 5) between two vehicles.

A lifting body design that launches on top of an Atlas V or Falcon 9 booster. The Falcon 9 being reusable in the first stage increases the percentage reused.

Including Magic Octopus's picture from the comments of a landed X-37B to get relative size.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 20:47

answered May 15 at 19:06

geoffcgeoffc

56.8k10166319

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 20:47

answered May 15 at 19:06

geoffcgeoffc

56.8k10166319

answered May 15 at 19:06

geoffcgeoffc

56.8k10166319

answered May 15 at 19:06

geoffcgeoffc

56.8k10166319

4

$begingroup$

It's relatively easy to manage reusability in a rocket if you don't get to orbital speeds.

The X-15 was a rocket powered spaceplane. It was launched from a B-52 jet carrier (at about 13.7km altitude) and flew to the edge of space (several flights to 80km altitude, below the FAI definition of "space", but above the USAF's definition, and two flights above FAI's 100km), but wasn't fast enough to get into orbit. Three were built and flew a total of 199 times between 1959 and 1968. This was a very successful research program, which provided a lot of data for development of the space shuttle as well as demonstrating the value of combining human pilots with automated systems.

Various other rocket-powered aircraft have flown multiple times atmospherically, for example, the Me-163 and Bell X-1, but I imagine you're primarily looking for spacecraft with this question.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 17:32

answered May 15 at 17:25

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

92.7k3312399

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

It's relatively easy to manage reusability in a rocket if you don't get to orbital speeds.

The X-15 was a rocket powered spaceplane. It was launched from a B-52 jet carrier (at about 13.7km altitude) and flew to the edge of space (several flights to 80km altitude, below the FAI definition of "space", but above the USAF's definition, and two flights above FAI's 100km), but wasn't fast enough to get into orbit. Three were built and flew a total of 199 times between 1959 and 1968. This was a very successful research program, which provided a lot of data for development of the space shuttle as well as demonstrating the value of combining human pilots with automated systems.

Various other rocket-powered aircraft have flown multiple times atmospherically, for example, the Me-163 and Bell X-1, but I imagine you're primarily looking for spacecraft with this question.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 17:32

answered May 15 at 17:25

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

92.7k3312399

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

It's relatively easy to manage reusability in a rocket if you don't get to orbital speeds.

The X-15 was a rocket powered spaceplane. It was launched from a B-52 jet carrier (at about 13.7km altitude) and flew to the edge of space (several flights to 80km altitude, below the FAI definition of "space", but above the USAF's definition, and two flights above FAI's 100km), but wasn't fast enough to get into orbit. Three were built and flew a total of 199 times between 1959 and 1968. This was a very successful research program, which provided a lot of data for development of the space shuttle as well as demonstrating the value of combining human pilots with automated systems.

Various other rocket-powered aircraft have flown multiple times atmospherically, for example, the Me-163 and Bell X-1, but I imagine you're primarily looking for spacecraft with this question.

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 17:32

answered May 15 at 17:25

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

92.7k3312399

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited May 15 at 17:32

answered May 15 at 17:25

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

92.7k3312399

answered May 15 at 17:25

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

92.7k3312399

answered May 15 at 17:25

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

92.7k3312399