The M989 Cobra was an aircraft designed to perform at the harshest altitudes Earth had to offer, and the M989-S2 breaks through the limits of previous aircraft, operating in the void of space. As conventional jet (and propeller) engines are incapable of producing thrust without an atmosphere, the S2 uses two small-scale fusion engines to operate. To reach space, the craft enlists the help of the B-45K-GB Superlifter to bring it closer to the edge of the atmosphere, where it will then move under its own power. To return, it will dock with and become encased in a pod; this will allow it to survive the heat of reentry. While the craft itself can survive reentry, the engines cannot.