X-37B To Fly Again 48
schwit1 writes The May 6 Atlas 5 launch will carry one of the Air Force's two X-37B mini-shuttles on a new mission in space. "The Air Force won't yet confirm which of the Boeing-built spaceplanes will be making the voyage. The first craft returned in October from a 675-day mission in space following a 224 day trek in 2010. OTV No. 2 spent 469 days in space in 2011-2012 on its only mission so far. "The program selects the Orbital Test Vehicle for each activity based upon the experiment objectives," said Capt. Chris Hoyler, an Air Force spokesperson. "Each OTV mission builds upon previous on-orbit demonstrations and expands the test envelope of the vehicle. The test mission furthers the development of the concept of operations for reusable space vehicles." There are indications that the Air Force wants to attempt landing the shuttle at Kennedy this time.
Re:More opportunities for amateur observation. (Score:5, Insightful)
The 'classified' orbits of previous missions have been tracked by many amateur astronomers.
It is extremely hard to hide something the size of a pickup truck in orbit no matter what you try to do. The major problem being that there is a very limited amount of sky you can get the object into when you launch from a specific place at a specific time and launches are pretty obvious things. Plus, it takes a lot of energy to make significant changes in orbit if you want to do it over a short time so the people tracking you won't know where to look anymore. I's not that all of these challenges are impossible, it's just that they are expensive to do.
Makes you wonder though, what we don't actually know about. Something tells me that the Air force has assets in space that are not being tracked by anybody. Surely they have worked on stealth for satellites and have delivery systems that can throw stuff up there without much public notice.
Re:More opportunities for amateur observation. (Score:4, Insightful)
Makes you wonder though, what we don't actually know about. Something tells me that the Air force has assets in space that are not being tracked by anybody. Surely they have worked on stealth for satellites and have delivery systems that can throw stuff up there without much public notice.
Even with eyes on this thing who's going to notice when it opens it's door a bit and a few cubesats float out. I'm thinking they already have their stealth delivery system at least.
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If you read any of john leers stuff or any of the other "secret space program" people some of it actually sounds sort of credible considering the amount of missing cash (in the trillions) given to supposed black budgets..... ...you really need to take all that stuff with the grain of salt though, but still pretty interesting. Leer did seem to tell stories of a folding feather craft design well before virgin began development of their tourist model (with a few photos on his wall that look strangely similar to virgins craft, but this was from the late 80s).
Also the abrupt closing of the vandenberg USAF shuttle launch site seemed to suggest they had some other alternate means of getting up there. The rabbit hole goes pretty deep on this stuff though (and so does the tin foil hatage).....
They made something else for getting up there. It was called Titan IV.
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What's difficult to detect for amateurs may not be difficult to detect for other space-faring nations. Plus, I'm sure that there's probably notification of a launch given ahead of time to other nuclear powers just to make sure they don't mistake it for something it's not...
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You don't need nukes if launching from orbit. A heavy metal (DU) rod with an ablative layer will do the job and you won't need to worry about any fall out.
These are the classified voyages (Score:5, Funny)
Earth orbit: the not so final frontier
These are the classified voyages of the X-37B
Its two-year mission: to proxy for penis size, to consume massive wealth, and create bold new deficits, to quietly go where many have gone before.
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These are the classified voyages of the X-37B
Amusing that the classified DoD payloads are launched with an RD-180 engine.
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No real mystery here (Score:3, Insightful)
Sorry, this is way over blown as a mystery. The Air Force obviously is using this craft as a more flexible spying device. Whereas satellites generally have a pre defined orbit. I imagine the X37B can change orbit on cue and monitor hot spots around the world. I doubt highly it has any more abilities then that. Given the issues with gathering intelligence on the ground in some areas like Iran. Its no surprise that the military is looking for ways to gain access to Countries who may be more difficult to infiltrate on the ground. The X37B is a obvious choice given that it can sustain itself for a long time in space. Plus it can return to Earth to be upgraded and refreshed. Truly a spy craft that is very efficient.
meh. (Score:3)
Re:meh. (Score:4, Informative)
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This clunky spacebot has no style. Everybody knows that the ultimate vehicle for reentry and soft landing is shaped exactly like a 1959 Corvette.
Just don't bring the green orb with you.
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Weird coincidence: watched part of it last night. (Through Harry the cabbie. Too tired to watch any more)
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Only if you happen to be carrying the Loc-Nar with you.
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They probably have a more modern sensor package than the spy satellites that have been up there for a few years.
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I'm sure it's doing more than that. It has a payload bay like the space shuttle. Certainly it is doing spying, but it's very likely that it is actively testing new technology that has to make up for the loss of capability that the Space Shuttle provided. More than likely it launches micro satellites, then locates and tracks them, and finally recaptures them. It could also be launching a larger payload of some kind, then manipulating the payload with a robotic arm, etc.
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It was originally designed to be launched from within the space shuttles payload bay. Optical spy sats were at an optical limit a long time ago. You can't make a bigger mirror that works and can be launched. You can use Interferometry to get a better image with a wide dispersal of elements but at optical wavelengths that is very difficult and if you want to do it you do not need a reusable craft. It can maneuver but then most satellites used for earth gazing can as well (and they do not have to have the e
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A result of the thousands upon thousands of war simulations will have shown that a space recovery system has a tactical advantage. If the advantage is sufficient, then you build yourself one. War is a numbers game.
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Um.... the X-37B is a satellite.
Too lazy to go look up the exact numbers, but conventional recce birds have been doing that on a regular basis since the 1970's.
I hope the guy who made the pic isn't in charge! (Score:4, Funny)
I hope the guy who made the picture isn't in charge. I accidentally clicked on the article. That image nearly sent me in a coma.
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Agreed. Government agencies have no taste in design. The Snowden leaks proved that no one with that bad of taste in Power Points should have that kind of power.
But you have to like the red, white, and blue exhaust trail. Very patriotic.
Farscape One (Score:2)
Hm, only 675 days? Crichton wasn't supposed to find his way back to earth for real until the 4th season (unless you count when he accidentally showed up before he left).
Sam
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It's not doing anything, it can't, it goes goes up and comes down a few months later, but nobody will believe it so they watch it like a hawk while it just floats around in space.
You just need a laser (Score:1)
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Love That Little Bird (Score:3)
Just think of it. For ANYTHING to work flawlessly (I guess: it returned, didn't it?) for 675 days. Let me repeat that: Six Hundred And Seventy Five Days! Hell, my damned TV won't run that long without a reboot! Amazing, absolutely amazing.
http://www.phantomreport.com/w... [phantomreport.com]
Heh, I don't know why, but the nose wheel chocks just look so "normal" you know? Like it was a C-152 or something.
Love that little bird: no drama, no fuss, no schoolteachers in space suits. Just a little spaceship that you load up on top of a Centaur, blast it into orbit, and then check on it every year or so while it does whatever it does.
And then land, check the tire pressure, clean the windows .. no wait, it doesn't HAVE any windows! Top off the coolant .. and do it again!
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The days of human pilots are certainly numbered.