Adding context to my previous tweet: here’s an animation showing how the F-35B’s three-bearing swivel duct nozzle (3BSD) works. It’s a mechanical masterpiece that vectors P&W F135 engine’s thrust from straight aft to 95° downward in seconds. Pure STOVL magic.
After reentering Earth's atmosphere at hypersonic speed, the Space Shuttle had no engines to help it land. Once it dropped out of orbit, it became a heavy glider, relying only on gravity, aerodynamics, and the pilot's precision.