In 1997 and 1998 the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. (KST) project Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The objectives were: demonstration of towed takeoff, climb-out, and separation of the EXD-01 from the towing aircraft; validation of simulation models of the towed aircraft systems; and development of ground and flight procedures for towing and launching a delta-winged airplane configuration safely behind a transport-type aircraft.