webfact Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faraday Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 Dr Steven Greer never mentioned this.....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonray Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 I believe Trump brought it down to be re-fitted in Gold and emblazoned with a new "Buy Ivanka's Stuff" ad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55Jay Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Meanwhile, in North Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srikcir Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamgeorgeallen Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandor Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 6 hours ago, 55Jay said: Meanwhile, in North Korea. ..is that the 'enrichment' they keep talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morch Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 9 hours ago, 55Jay said: Meanwhile, in North Korea. Disturbing of many levels, as his pics often are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morch Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpoint Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumbastheycome Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikeman93 Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargeezr Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumbastheycome Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Yep. THE MILITARY will eventually have total control. All in the interests of democracy and enduring civil and human rights no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 A unmanned orbital recon mission probably launched from Vandenberg I believe. Originally a DARPA project I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morch Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Wonder what Elon Musk thinks about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anon4546543 Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 If I recall, the US indirectly blamed China for the destruction of one of its satellites about 7 years ago. Is this a response? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhys Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 .... locked, and loaded, in the K zone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxYakov Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 They brought it down to change the film in the cameras, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumbastheycome Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 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 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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