Posted on 12/03/2010 5:10:12 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Boeing today announced the successful de-orbit and landing of the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), also known as the X-37B, for the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO). The X-37B, shown here in a photo from before its launch, landed at 1:16 a.m. Pacific time today, concluding its more than 220-day experimental test mission. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on April 22.
(Excerpt) Read more at boeing.mediaroom.com ...
Stuff like this drives the Chinese and Russians crazy! GOOD!
more than 7 months orbiting Planet Earth.... awesome!!!
Obozo will want to give the keys to this technological kingdom to the ChiComs, Russians, the Muslim world etc. — can’t let them feel inadequate after all.....
This is a huge win for the USAF.
Dynasoar 1963
Since this article is dateline Vandenberg, A.F.B., CA, can we assume that they finally made use of that 15,000 foot runway, originally designed for the Shuttle?
I’ve got pix of the piggy-back landing, but that’s not exactly the point.
Vandenberg got a new runway makover.To prevent damage to the reusable vehicle during landing, approximately 80 people from various units at Vandenberg replaced 658 plates along the flight line’s centerline.Edwards also got a “new” runway makover.
That flightline cafeteria used to have the best burgers!
120 days in space doing stuff the ChiComs and Russkies can only worry about.
Ping
It is fun to speculate as to what it was doing for seven months.
I agree. Doing a lot of experiments and recon work.
Indeed. One wonders as to what experiments it performed and what manner of recon work it did. This is a nifty gadget.
I like it. I hope that the USAF will build more and a beginning of a space fleet/program seperate from NASA.
United Sates Aerospace Force ;-)
I like it
:)
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