Solar Dome - Atlantis Eagle-Light Rocket

stage 1 separation

stage 2 separation

stage 3 (orbiter) in space

whole rocket

stage 1

stage 1 landing

stage 2

stage 2 landing

stage 3 (orbiter) notice the slight tilted angle of the thruster nozzles; this is adopted from the space shuttles for the asymmetrical center of thrust

stage 3 (orbiter) landing

early sketches

modeling exploration on the form

some diagrams showing the aerospike engine's working principles. The main reason why Atlantis choose it is due to the huge fuel efficiency.