Posted on 06/04/2012 6:03:18 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The U.S Air Force’s highly secret unmanned space plane will land in June - ending a year-long mission in orbit. The experimental Boeing X37-B has been circling Earth at 17,000 miles per hour and was due to land in California in December. It is now expected to land in mid to late June.
At launch, the space plane was accompanied by staff in biohazard suits, leading to speculation that there were radioactive components on board.
The men and women of Team Vandenberg are ready to execute safe landing operations anytime and at a moment's notice,' said Colonel Nina Armagno of the U.S. Air Force's Space Wing. The plane resembles a mini space shuttle and is the second to fly in space.
It was meant to land in March, but the mission of the X-37B orbital test vehicle was extended – for unknown reasons.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
And there is no truth to the rumor that the astronauts were mysteriously liquified inside their spacesuits by an extraterrestrial fungus.
It’s probably no coincidence that the USAF/NRO just “gifted” two brand-spanking new KH series satellites to NASA as Hubble replacements. USAF/NRO have probably determined that they have something much better ...
What math?
And find nothing inside. ;)
From my post at 50. I came up with 1.08(fiddlybits) radii for 17000 mph.
I was rather proud of that. Be a damn shame if I was dead wrong.
/johnny
/johnny
Impressive ship. Looks similar to a shuttle.
sqrt( g R ) represents the speed of an orbit at distance R, or about 7901 m/sec = 17674 mph and the speed of higher orbits are lower by the second factor.
Then we require r/R =( 17674/17000 )2 ~= 1.08, giving an altitude of 0.08 R or about 317 miles .
So all bets are off.
BTW, I find your math correct to an order of magnitude for a cirular orbit.
/johnny
Circular. I am also chasing a bit of FOD around the keyboard.
Considering the craft uses Kerosene and Hydrogen Peroxide for its propulsion, any Humans handling that stuff need biohazard suits. That ain't your 3% H2O2 Peroxide - closer to 70+%.
The 1.08 ratio will apply to the semimajor axis of an elliptical orbit, which has to have pretty low eccentricity to stay clear of the atmosphere. For low eccentricity, the shape of the orbit is very nearly a circle with its center displaced from the center of the earth by 1/2 r*e ( r*e is the distance between the foci of the true elliptical shape. ) This means that the length of the orbit is very nearly that of a circular orbit, as calculated, and the calculated speed will be very nearly the average orbital speed.
And “The One” ordered NASA to pursue “outreach to Muslim nations” as it primary mission.
NASA is no longer trustworthy.
And the time of the orbit is roughly the same whether circular or elliptical, given a fixed input of impulse.
I think I have that. Thank you.
/johnny
/johnny
The period of an orbit with semimajor axis r is exactly the same as a circular orbit with radius r. I was pointing out that for low eccentricity, the path length of the elliptical orbit is very close to that of the circular orbit, so the average speed is nearly the same, being nearly the same distance divided by exactly the same time.
/johnny
wasn’t it screwy Lewy who said a space ship would come take him away???
His test flight is complete.
( The shape of the orbit varies from circular only to second order in e, i.e. e2. )
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