Unmanned U.S. Air Force space plane lands after secret, 2-year mission

[webfact]

Unmanned U.S. Air Force space plane lands after secret, 2-year mission

By Irene Klotz

REUTERS

 

The U.S. Airforce's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission 4 after landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., May 7, 2017. U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The U.S. military's experimental X-37B space plane landed on Sunday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, completing a classified mission that lasted nearly two years, the Air Force said.

 

The unmanned X-37B, which resembles a miniature space shuttle, touched down at 7:47 a.m. EDT (1147 GMT) on a runway formerly used for landings of the now-mothballed space shuttles, the Air Force said in an email.

 

The Boeing-built space plane blasted off in May 2015 from nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard an Atlas 5 rocket built by United Launch Alliance, a partnership between Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co.

 

The X-37B, one of two in the Air Force fleet, conducted unspecified experiments for more than 700 days while in orbit. It was the fourth and lengthiest mission so far for the secretive program, managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.

 

The orbiters "perform risk reduction, experimentation and concept-of-operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies," the Air Force has said without providing details. The cost of the program is also classified.

 

The Secure World Foundation, a nonprofit group promoting the peaceful exploration of space, says the secrecy surrounding the X-37B suggests the presence of intelligence-related hardware being tested or evaluated aboard the craft.

 

The vehicles are 29 feet (9 meters) long and have a wingspan of 15 feet, making them about one quarter of the size of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s now-retired space shuttles.

 

The X-37B, also known as Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, first flew in April 2010 and returned after eight months. A second mission launched in March 2011 and lasted 15 months, while a third took flight in December 2012 and returned after 22 months.

 

Sunday’s landing was the X-37B's first in Florida. The three previous landings took place at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Air Force relocated the program in 2014, taking over two of NASA’s former shuttle-processing hangars.

 

The Air Force intends to launch the fifth X-37B mission from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, located just south of the Kennedy Space Center, later this year.

 

(Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-08

[faraday]

Dr Steven Greer never mentioned this.....?

[tonray]

I believe Trump brought it down to be re-fitted in Gold and emblazoned with a new "Buy Ivanka's Stuff"  ad

[55Jay]

Meanwhile, in North Korea. 

 

[Srikcir]

I wonder if we're looking at the future of manned/drone-orbital military patrols? Might be more effective intercepting ICBM's than from ground-based missile interceptors.

[williamgeorgeallen]

pretty cool. mind starts to wonder what amazing things this vehicle can do. seems to be a step forward to fly a satellite up under its own power then bring it back occasionally for maintenance or upgrades. for military applications it is truly unlimited. keeping a fleet of these with surveillance and rockets gives america some serious control.

[tandor]

6 hours ago, 55Jay said:

Meanwhile, in North Korea. 

 

..is that the 'enrichment' they keep talking about.

[Morch]

9 hours ago, 55Jay said:

Meanwhile, in North Korea. 

 

 

Disturbing of many levels, as his pics often are.

[Morch]

4 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

pretty cool. mind starts to wonder what amazing things this vehicle can do. seems to be a step forward to fly a satellite up under its own power then bring it back occasionally for maintenance or upgrades. for military applications it is truly unlimited. keeping a fleet of these with surveillance and rockets gives america some serious control.

 

http://www.darpa.mil/

 

The above offers some idea as to the level of research engaged in, and possible applications.

[ballpoint]

It was originally manned, but the contract to operate it was given to United and they un-accomodated all the passengers and crew.  Passengers weren't too happy at first, but changed their minds after being told that heavy airport congestion meant that it had to circle the airport for some time before a landing slot was allocated, and it arrived two years later than scheduled.  An airline spokesman said this was an improvement on the typical in flight delay.

Edited May 8, 2017 by ballpoint

[Dumbastheycome]

7 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

pretty cool. mind starts to wonder what amazing things this vehicle can do. seems to be a step forward to fly a satellite up under its own power then bring it back occasionally for maintenance or upgrades. for military applications it is truly unlimited. keeping a fleet of these with surveillance and rockets gives america some serious control.

Key word.. Kontrol

[Bikeman93]

I can see a few decades down the track shuttling passengers from the ground to intercept a 10,000 km/hr ride on a passenger sized version of one of these to any destination in the world in less than 3 hours of turbulence free travel.

 

Edited May 8, 2017 by Bikeman93
miscalculation

[Stargeezr]

THE MILITARY keep upgrading their servailance cameras and this space plane can fly undetected over many parts of the countries that

neec to be photographed. as well other applications ate being tested. Good to see another successful flight by this and the

other space planes that are being sent up by the military.

[Dumbastheycome]

Yep.  THE  MILITARY will  eventually have total  control.

All in the interests  of  democracy  and   enduring  civil and  human  rights no  doubt.

[IMA_FARANG]

A unmanned orbital recon mission probably launched from Vandenberg  I believe.

Originally a DARPA project I believe.

 

[Morch]

Wonder what Elon Musk thinks about it.

[anon4546543]

If I recall, the US indirectly blamed China for the destruction of one of its satellites about 7 years ago. Is this a response?

[Rhys]

.... locked, and loaded, in the K zone...

[MaxYakov]

They brought it down to change the film in the cameras, of course.

[ilostmypassword]

8 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

They brought it down to change the film in the cameras, of course.

Someday in the far off and distant future, when there is a thing called digital photography, it may never have to return to Earth.

[Dumbastheycome]

8 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Someday in the far off and distant future, when there is a thing called digital photography, it may never have to return to Earth.

Right  along with that digital capacity  will be the clever  ability  to  construct digital images and  video  portraying  whatever  fantasy  suits.  So happy it is  not yet a reality...right ?