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X-37B Space Plane Marks One Year In Space

Posted by Unknown on from the retrofitted-with-lasers dept.

S810 writes with an excerpt from an article on the X-37B in at Discovery News: "The military won't say what it has been doing with its experimental miniature space shuttle, but the pilotless spaceship, known as the X-37B, has been in orbit for a year now. The 29-foot robotic spacecraft, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, was launched on March 5, 2011, on a follow-up flight to extend capabilities demonstrated by a sister ship during a 244-day debut mission in 2010. 'We are very pleased with the results of ongoing X-37B experiments,' Tom McIntyre, with the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office..."

7 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. It's harmless. Watch TV. by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    You guys are paranoid. Without a tracking mirror they could never even aim a laser from space, much less use it to assassinate Iranian nuclear scientists and start World War III.

    Hey, did you guys hear that a new season of "The Real Housewives of Miami" started last week? We should all watch it and talk about that. How about that Adriana, huh?

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:It's harmless. Watch TV. by JWSmythe · · Score: 4, Interesting

          Well, if it has the same speed of a shuttle, a full orbit is 90 minutes.

          27 minutes from launch to impact depends on being able to detect the launch. With no launch detection, because it's just dropped, means they have to hope to pick up a 2m x 1m deorbiting.

          Look for "hypervelocity rod bundles", and "Project Thor". This appears to be the initial implementation of that project.

          Officially, we've agreed to not weaponize space. I'd be willing to be they'd say "It's not space, it's a high altitude aircraft."

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    2. Re:It's harmless. Watch TV. by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Interesting

      27 minutes from launch to impact depends on being able to detect the launch.

      Actually it turns out that it takes an ICBM 27 minutes from launch to impact regardless of whether anyone detects the launch! Amazing, I know.

      This appears to be the initial implementation of that project.

      Uh, no it doesn't. This would be a terrible way to get large masses into orbit.

      If you're going to be paranoid -- an endeavor I fully support -- then at least do it right. You should be looking at any of the many shuttle and other heavy-lift rocket launches carrying spy satellites from the last 40 years, any of which could have been carrying a payload of tungsten rods.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  2. I look forward to reding the details by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    on wkileaks~

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  3. Re:Control Codes by medcalf · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's up, up, right, right, left, right, left, right, button 1

    --
    -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
  4. Is it just me? by s.petry · · Score: 4, Funny

    I keep reading "Orbital Test Vehicle" as Orbital Testicle

    --

    -The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.

  5. Re:Questions by Wyatt+Earp · · Score: 5, Informative

    1. No idea, payload bay is 2.1 × 1.2 m and its launch weight is 5000 kg
    2. Hundreds of millions to billions - "Details on the funding level remain within the Air Force's classified budget request"
    3. Launch vehicle is an Atlas V (~$13,000 per kg to LEO - $65 million per launch)
    4. Yes, supposedly, OTV-1 came back, has not launched again yet, OTV-2 is still up there

    http://www.space.com/8239-details-secretive-37b-space-plane-revealed.html