Virgil (spacecraft)

The Virgil was a spacecraft developed by the Space Defence Centre, as a successor to the ill-fated XK-5 space freighter. In 2020, it was the most sophisticated and successful British spacecraft ever built.

Capabilities
It was a two-stage reusable vehicle with medium lift. When launched, the lift stage could separate from the main craft and independently land vertically, whilst the three-man probe itself was able to re-enter the atmosphere after lift-off and be landed like any conventional aircraft.

The second-stage engine contained fuel pipes and a coolant system.

Appearance
Before it was launched into the Earth's atmosphere, the prope sat on top of the first-stage booster. The outer hull of the metal probe consisted of large metal plates that could be removed to access the second-stage engine, which had highly polished metal thrusters. The entire ship was 100 feet tall, with the control cabin being right at the top, just underneath the nose-cone.