Boeing X-37C

[Vahe Demirjian]

It been over a year since Boeing unveiled the X-37C as an enlarged manned version of the X-37A and X-37B, but there hasn't been any latest news on the X-37C, its planned first test flight, or whether it will carry freight to the ISS. With the Dragon spacecraft already in operational service, the Orbital Sciences Cygnus poised for its second test flight, and the Dream Chaser ready to conduct its first free flight, Boeing may have to weigh the pros and cons of using the X-37C for commercial purposes.

 

[Byeman]

It been over a year since Boeing unveiled the X-37C as an enlarged manned version of the X-37A and X-37B, but there hasn't been any latest news on the X-37C, its planned first test flight, or whether it will carry freight to the ISS. With the Dragon spacecraft already in operational service, the Orbital Sciences Cygnus poised for its second test flight, and the Dream Chaser ready to conduct its first free flight, Boeing may have to weigh the pros and cons of using the X-37C for commercial purposes.

X-37C is just a proposal. There is no intent for NASA or Boeing to go forward with it.

 

[blackstar]

It was just a paper study. Boeing was showing what could be done with the basic design. They didn't have any buyers. And there was an inherent problem with the idea because it meant that Boeing was competing with its own CST-100 spacecraft. My guess is that this was either the project team trying to get a little study money, or a way for Boeing to demonstrate that if NASA really wanted a winged spacecraft, and if DreamChaser did not pan out, they could scale up their existing vehicle.