Almost as cool...
Hi All
The Space Shuttle was originally meant to be a Space Ferry (i.e. a personnel vehicle) with about 15 tons payload, sufficient for Space Station resupply. Here's a book cover with one such design from 1965...
...note the detachable deorbit motors. What if the USAF had gotten their Dyna-Soar and didn't 'spoil' the STS design with unreasonable demands? Would a lighter Orbiter have resulted without clunky engines haulled to LEO?
Adam