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X-37B To Fly Again

Posted by timothy on from the gets-high-with-a-little-help-from-its-friends dept.

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.

9 of 48 comments (clear)

  1. These are the classified voyages by DarkOx · · Score: 4, 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.

    --
    Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
  2. No real mystery here by Anonymous Coward · · 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.

  3. I hope the guy who made the pic isn't in charge! by Qbertino · · Score: 3, 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.

    --
    We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
  4. meh. by Thud457 · · Score: 2

    This clunky spacebot has no style. Everybody knows that the ultimate vehicle for reentry and soft landing is shaped exactly like a 1959 Corvette.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:meh. by auric_dude · · Score: 3, Informative

      ZZ Top had the right idea all those years ago https://upload.wikimedia.org/w...

  5. Re:More opportunities for amateur observation. by bobbied · · 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.

    --
    "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  6. Re:More opportunities for amateur observation. by stealth_finger · · Score: 3, 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.

    --
    Wanna buy a shirt?
    https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
  7. Love That Little Bird by Toad-san · · Score: 2

    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...

    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!

    1. Re:Love That Little Bird by occasional_dabbler · · Score: 2
      I doubt it worked flawlessly, but certainly to get back to Earth in a servicable state has to be a major part of its success criteria. It is an amazing machine, just sad that we can't get a 'Popular Mechanics' cutaway to drool over.

      The days of human pilots are certainly numbered.

      --
      "Our opponent is an alien starship packed with atomic bombs," I said. "we have a protractor"