Editing Launch vehicle (section)

== Return to launch site ==

After 1980, but before the 2010s, two orbital launch vehicles developed the capability to '''return to the launch site''' (RTLS).  Both the US [[Space Shuttle]]—with one of its [[Space Shuttle abort modes#Return to launch site (RTLS)|abort modes]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Return to Launch Site |url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/sts/aborts/rtls.html |website=NASA.gov |accessdate=4 October 2016 |archive-date=15 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415062428/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/sts/aborts/rtls.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Space Shuttle Abort Evolution |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110015564.pdf |website=ntrs.nasa.gov |date=26 September 2011 |accessdate=4 October 2016 }}</ref>—and the Soviet [[Buran (spacecraft)|Buran]]<ref name="ng2016041">{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160412-soviet-union-space-shuttle-buran-cosmonaut-day-gagarin/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415135433/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160412-soviet-union-space-shuttle-buran-cosmonaut-day-gagarin/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2016 |title=The Forgotten Soviet Space Shuttle Could Fly Itself |work=[[National Geographic Channel|National Geographic]] |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |first=Brian|last=Handwerk |date=12 April 2016 |accessdate=4 October 2016 }}</ref>
had a designed-in capability to return a part of the launch vehicle to the launch site via the mechanism of [[HTHL|horizontal-landing]] of the [[spaceplane]] portion of the launch vehicle.  In both cases, the main vehicle thrust structure and the large propellant tank were [[expendable launch vehicle|expendable]], as had been the standard procedure for all orbital launch vehicles flown prior to that time.  Both were subsequently demonstrated on actual orbital nominal flights, although both also had an abort mode during launch that could conceivably allow the crew to land the spaceplane following an off-nominal launch.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NASA Intact Ascent Aborts Workbook, chapter 6 RETURN TO LAUNCH SITE |url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/383447main_intact_ascent_aborts_workbook_21002.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321153202/https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/383447main_intact_ascent_aborts_workbook_21002.pdf |archive-date=2021-03-21 |access-date=2021-03-28}}</ref>

In the 2000s, both [[SpaceX]] and [[Blue Origin]] have [[private spaceflight|privately developed]] a set of technologies to support [[VTVL|vertical landing]] of the booster stage of a launch vehicle. 
After 2010, SpaceX undertook a [[SpaceX reusable launch system development program|development program]] to acquire the ability to bring back and [[VTVL|vertically land]] a part of the [[Falcon 9]] [[orbital spaceflight|orbital]] launch vehicle: the [[first stage (rocketry)|first stage]]. The first successful landing was done in December 2015,<ref name="abc2015121">{{cite web |title=SpaceX Historic Rocket Landing Is a Success |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/spacex-historic-rocket-landing-success/story?id=35888303 |last1=Newcomb|first1=Alyssa |last2=Dooley|first2=Erin | website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=21 December 2015 |accessdate=4 October 2016 }}</ref> since 2017 rocket stages routinely land either at a [[Landing Zones 1 and 2|landing pad]] adjacent to the launch site or on a [[Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship|landing platform]] at sea, some distance away from the launch site.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2016/08/17/spacex-lands-6th-rocket-moves-closer-to-reusabilit.aspx |title=SpaceX Lands 6th Rocket, Moves Closer to Reusability |work=Los Motley Fool |first=Daniel|last=Sparks |date=17 August 2016 |accessdate=27 February 2017 }}</ref> The [[Falcon Heavy]] is similarly designed to reuse the three cores comprising its first stage. On its [[Falcon Heavy test flight|first flight]] in February 2018, the two outer cores successfully returned to the launch site landing pads while the center core targeted the landing platform at sea but did not successfully land on it.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gebhardt|first1=Chris|title=SpaceX successfully debuts Falcon Heavy in demonstration launch from KSC – NASASpaceFlight.com|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/02/spacex-debut-falcon-heavy-demonstration-launch/|accessdate=February 23, 2018|work=NASASpaceFlight.com|date=February 5, 2018}}</ref>

[[Blue Origin]] developed similar technologies for bringing back and landing their [[suborbital spaceflight|suborbital]] ''[[New Shepard]]'', and successfully demonstrated return in 2015, and successfully reused the same booster on a second suborbital flight in January 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-reflies-new-shepard-suborbital-vehicle/ |title=Blue Origin reflies New Shepard suborbital vehicle |work=[[SpaceNews]] |first=Jeff|last=Foust |date=22 January 2016 |accessdate=1 November 2017 }}</ref>  By October 2016, Blue had reflown, and landed successfully, that same launch vehicle a total of five times.<ref name="sn20161005">{{cite news |last=Foust|first=Jeff |url=http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-successfully-tests-new-shepard-abort-system/ |title=lue Origin successfully tests New Shepard abort system |work=[[SpaceNews]] |date=5 October 2016 |accessdate=8 October 2016 }}</ref> The launch trajectories of both vehicles are very different, with New Shepard going straight up and down, whereas Falcon 9 has to cancel substantial horizontal velocity and return from a significant distance downrange.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wall |first=Mike |date=21 December 2015 |title=Wow! SpaceX Lands Orbital Rocket Successfully in Historic First |url=https://www.space.com/31420-spacex-rocket-landing-success.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815184235/https://www.space.com/31420-spacex-rocket-landing-success.html |archive-date=15 August 2017 |access-date=17 August 2017 |publisher=Space.com}}</ref> 

Both Blue Origin and SpaceX also have additional reusable launch vehicles under development.  Blue is developing the first stage of the orbital [[New Glenn]] LV to be reusable, with first flight planned for no earlier than 2024. 
SpaceX has a new super-heavy launch vehicle under development for missions to [[interplanetary spaceflight|interplanetary space]]. The [[SpaceX Starship]] is designed to support RTLS, vertical-landing and full reuse of both the booster stage and the integrated second-stage/large-spacecraft that are designed for use with Starship.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Foust|first1=Jeff|title=Musk offers more technical details on BFR system - SpaceNews.com|url=http://spacenews.com/musk-offers-more-technical-details-on-bfr-system/|website=SpaceNews.com|accessdate=February 23, 2018|date=15 October 2017}}</ref> Its [[Starship flight test 1|first launch attempt]] took place in April 2023; however, both stages were lost during ascent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-20 |title=SpaceX's gigantic Starship rocket blasts off and then explodes in its first test flight |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacexs-starship-rocket-blasts-first-test-flight-rcna79988 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514143844/https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacexs-starship-rocket-blasts-first-test-flight-rcna79988 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |access-date=2023-06-13 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> The [[Starship flight test 5|fifth launch attempt]] ended with Booster 12 being caught by the launch tower, and Ship 30, the upper stage, successfully landing in the Indian Ocean.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC87WmFN_As |title=SpaceX Launches Starship Flight 5 (and Catches A Booster) |date=October 13, 2024 |last=NASASpaceflight |access-date=October 23, 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref>