Posted on 10/27/2019 11:15:29 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The Air Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 5 successfully landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility Oct. 27, 2019 at 3:51 a.m.
The spaceplane conducted on-orbit experiments for 780 days during its mission, recently breaking its own record by being in orbit for more than two years. As of today, the total number of days spent on-orbit for the entire test vehicle program is 2,865 days.
“The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable spaceplane,” said Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett. “Each successive mission advances our nation’s space capabilities.”
This is the Air Force’s premier reusable and unmanned spacecraft, providing the performance and flexibility to improve technologies in a way that allows scientists and engineers to recover experiments tested in a long-duration space environment.
“The safe return of this spacecraft, after breaking its own endurance record, is the result of the innovative partnership between Government and Industry,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein. “The sky is no longer the limit for the Air Force and, if Congress approves, the U.S. Space Force.”
Managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the X-37B program performs risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies.
“This program continues to push the envelope as the world’s only reusable space vehicle. With a successful landing today, the X-37B completed its longest flight to date and successfully completed all mission objectives,” said Randy Walden, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director. “This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.”
The distinctive ability to test new systems in space and return them to Earth is unique to the X-37B program and enables the U.S. to more efficiently and effectively develop space capabilities necessary to maintain superiority in the space domain.
“This spacecraft is a key component of the space community. This milestone demonstrates our commitment to conducting experiments for America’s future space exploration,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Keen, X-37B program manager. “Congratulations to the X-37B team for a job well done.”
This will be the second time the X-37B landed at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility--Mission 4 landed after 718 days in orbit. The spaceplane was designed for an on-orbit duration of 270 days.
“Today marks an incredibly exciting day for the 45th Space Wing,” said Brig. Gen. Doug Schiess, 45th Space Wing commander. “Our team has been preparing for this event, and I am extremely proud to see their hard work and dedication culminate in today’s safe and successful landing of the X-37B.”
The fifth mission launched on Sept. 7, 2017 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on-board a Space X Falcon 9 booster, and the U.S. Air Force is preparing to launch the sixth X-37B mission from CCAFS in 2020.
Editor's note: For more imagery, visit our X-37B feature page: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/X37BOTV
I read an article a while back on why it is difficult for the Chinese, Russians, or anyone else to track. There is a way they can change the orbit and trajectory of it that is undetectable to the ground, and reacquiring it is a problem.
Well, it is easy to track stuff if they stay put in one orbit, but I read articles about people who were having a tough time finding it.
Where are the antennas supporting enough bandwidth to do all that?
Interesting.
Thanks
Well I'm sure the astronauts got a lot of books read.
Probably on Kindle.
Don’t think that is true for this platform...I read an article a few months back about why it is only spotted on rare occasions and often by chance. I’ll see if I can find it.
I’m aware you are knowledgeable but why would you assert that stealth design principles do not work in space? (Not referring to the x37 here but generally).
Checking the affect of weightlessness on the aging of single malt scotch and Kentucky bourbon?
“Soooo, what exactly does it do for 780 days in space, hmmm?”
NASA was combing through trash dumps looking for the hard drive with the callback code.
All you are saaaaaying is give peas a chance?
It was a fateful trip...
Yep. It routinely shifts orbits, thus people tracking it lose it. Where does it go? What is it doing once it gets there? Who the hell outside the NRO knows?
Lol Good one.
Boeing builds the X37B Orbiter!
I am sure Communist China has the plans already via Clinton.
They probably built twice as many planes for Elon Musk.
Yep, particularly if it’s in an orbit that takes it far away from the plant. Then it becomes much harder to find (appears much smaller) and it also moves (and appears to move) much more slowly. In fact, if it’s far enough out, and then only changes orbit when it’s in the shadow of the Earth - GOOD LUCK FINDING IT!
Supposedly when the X-37B is on “our side” of the globe, it can dip ever so slightly into the upper atmosphere and ‘stear itself’ into a different orbital plane. The bad guys never know for sure where or when it will pop up. Considering it’s rather small size, it’s probably a tough-acquisition for radar until it’s fairly high over the horizon. By then it’s too late to hide your shit.
Those "Rods from God" would have been Tungsten (W), for increased mass density -- not lightweight Titanium (Ti)...
TXnMA
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.