The Orbital Sciences X-34 was intended to be a low-cost testbed for demonstrating "key technologies" that could be integrated into the Reusable Launch Vehicle program.

It was intended to be an autonomous pilotless craft powered by a "Fastrac" liquid-propellant rocket engine, capable of reaching Mach 8 and performing 25 test flights per year.

In early 2001, the first flight vehicle was near completion, but the program was ended due to budget concerns.

The two demonstrators remained in storage at Edwards Air Force Base[3] until they were temporarily moved to Mojave, California, in late 2010.

As of August 2020[update], the spaceplanes were lying in the yard of a crane company in nearby Lancaster, California.