SHADO Lifting Body
Web site by: Phil Broad

The SHADO Lifting body is another example of this TV series accurately portraying then-current proposals for aerospace hardware. Although simple in configuration, this lifting body would fit right in with much of the thinking about reentry lifting bodies then being studied by the US Air Force and other agencies. It is just this sort of attention to detail that helps make this series of interest to later generations. This lifting body is shown to be boosted into orbit inside the payload fairing of a large rocket. Once in orbit, the fairing splits open and the lifting body is released. It is unlikely that this craft was designed just for SHADO operations, it being more likely an existing design adapted to SHADO needs. The sole purpose of this craft seems to be putting a small crew into orbit which would indicate that this type was probably used to support space station operations by shuttling crews up and down.