The company Radian Aerospace is trying to develop a reusable space plane called Radian One, reviving a concept that NASA explored but abandoned in the early 2000s called the X-33 program.
Radian One would takeoff horizontally on a rocket-powered sled along a two-mile rail to reach launch speeds, before flying into space under its own power. This approach requires less fuel than a vertical rocket launch.
The company aims to test a scale model this year and a full-size version by 2028. The goal is to provide a cheaper and more comfortable alternative to conventional rockets for transporting small payloads and crews to low-Earth orbit.
If successful, Radian One could reduce the cost of sending payloads to orbit from the current $10,000 per pound down to an estimated $1,000 per pound, as NASA had hoped for the X-33 program.
Reusable space planes like Radian One offer the potential for significantly reducing spaceflight costs compared to expendable rockets. But rockets would still be needed for launching heavier payloads into space.
Source: Business Insider
