The realms of space exploration and experimental aviation have produced some legendary and iconic vehicles, known for their groundbreaking capabilities, historical significance, or technical innovations. Here’s a list of some of the best-known spacecraft, spaceships, and experimental aircraft:

Best-Known Spacecraft & Spaceships

1. Sputnik 1: The world’s first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.
2. Vostok 1: Carried Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, in 1961.
3. Apollo 11 Lunar Module: Responsible for the historic Moon landing in 1969, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
4. Space Shuttle: NASA’s reusable space vehicle fleet, used for missions from 1981 to 2011.
5. Hubble Space Telescope: Revolutionized astronomy with its deep space images since its launch in 1990.
6. International Space Station (ISS): A joint project of multiple space agencies, it serves as a research laboratory and a symbol of international cooperation in space.
7. Mars Rovers (Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance): These robotic explorers have provided invaluable data about the Red Planet.
8. SpaceX Dragon and Starship: Representing the new era of commercial space travel, with Dragon supplying the ISS and Starship intended for future deep-space missions.
9. Voyager Probes: Sent by NASA in the 1970s, these probes provided detailed images of the outer planets and are now in interstellar space.

Best-Known Experimental Aircraft

1. Bell X-1: The first aircraft to break the sound barrier, piloted by Chuck Yeager in 1947.
2. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: A high-speed reconnaissance aircraft known for its Mach 3+ capabilities.
3. North American X-15: Set records for altitude and speed in the 1960s, touching the edges of space.
4. Lockheed U-2: High-altitude reconnaissance plane, famous for its spy missions during the Cold War.
5. Rutan Voyager: The first plane to fly around the world nonstop without refueling, designed by Burt Rutan.
6. BAC/Aérospatiale Concorde: The supersonic passenger jet that offered transatlantic flights in under three hours.
7. The Wright Flyer: Built by the Wright brothers, it’s the first powered aircraft to achieve controlled, sustained flight with a pilot aboard.
8. Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne: A suborbital spaceplane that in 2004 became the first privately built manned craft to reach space.

Each of these vehicles represents milestones in the history of aerospace, illustrating humanity’s ambition, ingenuity, and drive to explore new frontiers.

If the model you require is not mentioned or shown below and is not listed for sale on our site just let us know what you need by clicking here.