Flying Wings

SPACE SHUTTLE

Any of several U.S. space vehicles consisting of a reusable manned orbiter that touches down on a landing strip after an orbital mission, two reusable solid rocket boosters that drop off after initial ascent, and an expendable external tank containing liquid propellants.

DELTA WING

A triangularly shaped surface that serves as both wing and horizontal stabilizer of a space vehicle and some supersonic aircraft.

GLIDER

A motorless, heavier-than-air aircraft for gliding from a higher to a lower level by the action of gravity or from a lower to a higher level by the action of air currents.

BIPLANE

An airplane having two pairs of wings fixed at different levels, especially one above and one below the fuselage.

DIRIGIBLE

Aircraft consisting of an elongated, gas-filled balloon or a rigid structure with gas-filled compartments, and having motors and rudders to drive and guide it.