Genesis spacecraft

Genesis spacecraft with solar wind collectors deployed. Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech. 

Genesis spacecraft shortly after its abrupt return to Earth. Image courtesy of the Genesis Mission, NASA. 

The space shuttle concept had its genesis in the 1960s, when the Apollo lunar landing spacecraft was in full development but had not yet flown. From the earliest days of the space program, it seemed logical that the goal of frequent, economical access to space might best be served by a reusable launch system. 

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