by Jeff Donlan
DARPA and Boeing are joining up to build a military spaceplane, a combination of an airplane and a spaceship. Called XS-1, the spaceplane will be a reusable unmanned vehicle, about the size of a private jet. The aircraft will take off vertically like a rocket and launch into low Earth orbit, flying at over 7,600 mph. It will be able to carry payloads of up to 3,000 pounds. Less preparation will be needed for the military to launch satellites using the spaceplane. The goal is for the XS-1 to be able to fly 10 times in 10 days. The first test launches are planned for 2020.
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