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[STOCK] Silbervogel

The Silbervogel (“Silver Bird”) was a German WWII concept for a rocket-powered sub-orbital bomber by Eugen Sänger and Irene Bredt. It would be launched on a rocket sled, ignite its engine to reach near-space, then skip-glide along the upper atmosphere to intercontinental range before gliding back to land. Though never built due to technical limitations, it influenced later spaceplane research and concepts like the Space Shuttle. It's skip-gliding method could've allowed it to have a near unlimited range, taking advantage of the buoyancy of the atmosphere to launch it up, and the lack of atmospheric drag in space, to go large distances quickly, without using any fuel.