This photo shows the HL-10 on lakebed with its subsonic control surface configuration. The unusual shapes of the lifting bodies, as well as the demands of flying a re-entry shape to comparative low-speed landings, required a complex set of control surfaces. The rudders also served as speed brakes, allowing the pilot to adjust his speed during descent. Moving the flaps at the rear of the fuselage in the same direction pitched the nose up, while moving them in opposite directions rolled the vehicle to the right or left. After the HL-10's fins were modified to improve its handling qualities, the vehicle proved to be the best handling of the original heavy-weight lifting bodies.