The Delta Clipper test product, designated DC-X, was one-third the actual proposed size of the spacecraft. The DC-XA evolved from the DC-X.

The DC-X was designed to launch and land vertically and holds the record for the only single stage reusable launch rocket to have a 26-hour turnaround time between the second and third flights. The teams who worked on this massive project developed software and avionics that allowed the craft to transition smoothly from a vertical takeoff, maneuver in flight in any direction, and land vertically.

The Delta Clipper stayed under budget and proved the need for cheaper access to space, incorporated processes that are now industry standard for other aerospace companies.