DC-3 was a fully reusable launch vehicle two-stage-to-orbit spaceplane Designed by Maxime Faget and was one of several early design proposals for the NASA Space Shuttle at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. Various studies by North American Rockwell, McDonnell Douglas Astronautics and North American Aviation Reference for animation: A TWO-STAGE FIXED WING SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FINAL REPORT Volume II Preliminary Design Contract No. NAS 9-9204 Schedule II by MCDONNELL DOUGLAS ASTRONAUTICS