Indeed, the DC-X looked something straight from the future.
An elongated, white pyramid standing on four slender legs.
It was only 12 meters tall, a dwarf among rockets.
The first test flight of the Delta Clipper-Experimental Advanced.
In essence, a reusable rocket.
None of these progressed further than an idea on paper.
The technology for building a truly reusable rocket didnt exist then.
But Hunter was intrigued by VTVL.
For several years, he tried in vain to sell the idea to Lockheed Martin before he retired.
Such a vehicle was essential in USs arsenal should the country wanted to invest in space-based weapons system.
The final design was a one-third-size scale prototype, the Delta Clipper Experimental.
Then the engines throttled back in power, and the DC-X descended slowly and landed softly on its tail.
The entire flight took only 59 seconds.
It was the first time a rocket had landed vertically on Earth.
The DC-XA demonstrated a 26-hour turnaround time, a record that is yet to be beaten.
Its 12th flight on July 31, 1996, proved to be its last.
Without the crucial support, the DC-XA fell over and exploded.
Eventually, VentureStar itself was cancelled because of development cost.
Two solid rocket boosters of SpaceXs Falcon land at the Kennedy Space Center.
The VTVL fever is catching on.
The German, French and Japanese space agencies are working together on a reusable VTVL rocket called CALLISTO.
