▁common , ▁particularly ▁for ▁un cre wed ▁vehicles , ▁and ▁this ▁can ▁significantly ▁reduce ▁the ▁vehicle ' s ▁mass ▁and ▁increase ▁its ▁delta - v . ▁ ▁La unch ▁systems ▁▁ ▁La unch ▁systems ▁are ▁used ▁to ▁carry ▁a ▁payload ▁from ▁Earth ' s ▁surface ▁into ▁outer ▁space . ▁ ▁Exp end able ▁▁ ▁Most ▁current ▁space fl ight ▁uses ▁multi - stage ▁exp end able ▁launch ▁systems ▁to ▁reach ▁space . ▁ ▁Re usable ▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁re usable ▁space craft , ▁the ▁X - 1 5 , ▁was ▁air - launch ed ▁on ▁a ▁sub orb ital ▁traject ory ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁The ▁first ▁partially ▁re usable ▁orb ital ▁space craft , ▁the ▁Space ▁Sh utt le , ▁was ▁launched ▁by ▁the ▁USA ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁Y uri ▁G ag arin ' s ▁flight , ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁During ▁the ▁Sh utt le ▁era , ▁six ▁orbit ers ▁were ▁built , ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁flow n ▁in ▁the ▁atmosphere ▁and ▁five ▁of ▁which ▁flow n ▁in ▁space . ▁The ▁Enter prise ▁was ▁used ▁only ▁for ▁approach ▁and ▁landing ▁tests , ▁launch ing ▁from ▁the ▁back ▁of ▁a ▁Bo eing ▁ 7 4 7 ▁and ▁gl iding ▁to ▁dead st ick ▁land ings ▁at ▁Edwards ▁A FB , ▁California . ▁The ▁first ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ▁to ▁fly ▁into ▁space ▁was ▁the ▁Columbia , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Ch allen ger