Dream Chaser isn't the first space plane, it is however on course to be the first operational Lifting Body space plane, intended to perform its first demo launch on a Vulcan rocket and rendezvous with the International Space Station during 2022.
But its been a long time coming, the concept of lifting body space planes goes back to the 1950's, and NASA was test flying demonstrators 60 years ago, starting with the 'Flying Bathtub', build from a steel frame overlaid with plywood, and towed behind a car.
But it would take some cues from the Soviet BOR-4 test vehicle to arrive at a more optimal design, stable across much larger ranges of speed.

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