X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV)

[quellish]

There is no connection with the NRL and the mission.
The NRL TLD has nothing do with this mission either.

The dispenser is in the open literature and has been for years, that is not what I was talking about.

 

[flateric]

I wonder if anyone had seen hi-rez of this photo...

here
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=21122.270

bunch of thanks!

 

[bobbymike]

Russia to counter space weapons (my comment - like the X-37 and HTV-2?) from Spacewar.com

Russian Officer Says Developing New Weapon For Space Defense

by Staff Writers
Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) May 17, 2010
Russia's air and space forces are preparing for future threats from space with a "fundamentally new weapon," a senior officer said Saturday on Ekho Moskvy radio.

"We are developing a fundamentally new weapon that can destroy potential targets in space," Col. Eduard Sigalov of Russia's air and space defense forces said.

The brigade commander said the 5th Brigade of the air and space defense forces, which is deployed in the Moscow Region, is ready to protect the capital against potential threats from outer space.

"In the near future we will have to perform the task of protecting Moscow from space-based threats," Sigalov said, adding that he hoped the potential protection would be enough and it would not actually have to be used.

He said the brigade currently had S-300 (SA-10 Grumble, SA-12 Giant/Gladiator) and S-400 (SA-21 Growler) missile systems and was capable of destroying any airborne threat.

The colonel added that improvements in recent years meant that units could now be ready to fire within 10 minutes.

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Interesting 'factsheet', produced by the Secure World Foundation, that assesses the potential missions of the X-37B is at http://www.secureworldfoundation.org/images/X-37BOTVFactsheet.pdf (and attached).

I'm not competent to critque what it says, but I'm sure there are plenty of you who are!

 

[antigravite]

Very naïve factsheet. Author didn't do his homework. If X37B -- or rather, any operational variant for this type of system -- is ever used to "weaponize space", it will do so very smartly, in a way which won't violate international strategic arms treaties / agreements. From this perspective, understanding what may be possible, and what may not, implies reading arms treatises through the lines. X37B or any future operational variant may impose a redefinition of an old concept, space-based "weapon system". Time will tell.

 

[Catalytic]

Russia to counter space weapons (my comment - like the X-37 and HTV-2?) from Spacewar.com

Russian Officer Says Developing New Weapon For Space Defense

by Staff Writers
Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) May 17, 2010
Russia's air and space forces are preparing for future threats from space with a "fundamentally new weapon," a senior officer said Saturday on Ekho Moskvy radio.

"We are developing a fundamentally new weapon that can destroy potential targets in space," Col. Eduard Sigalov of Russia's air and space defense forces said.

The brigade commander said the 5th Brigade of the air and space defense forces, which is deployed in the Moscow Region, is ready to protect the capital against potential threats from outer space.

"In the near future we will have to perform the task of protecting Moscow from space-based threats," Sigalov said, adding that he hoped the potential protection would be enough and it would not actually have to be used.

He said the brigade currently had S-300 (SA-10 Grumble, SA-12 Giant/Gladiator) and S-400 (SA-21 Growler) missile systems and was capable of destroying any airborne threat.

The colonel added that improvements in recent years meant that units could now be ready to fire within 10 minutes.

Interesting,

Is the implication that Russia see the X37B (or it's progeny) as a targetable threat?

 

[duibuqi]

Secret X-37B Space Plane Spotted by Amateur Skywatchers (??? highly dubious...)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100524/sc_space/secretx37bspaceplanespottedbyamateurskywatchers

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

A couple more reports along similar lines:

http://www.space.com/news/secret-x-37-b-space-plane-spotted-by-amateur-astronomers-100522.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/science/space/23secret.html?hp

 

[sferrin]

Secret X-37B Space Plane Spotted by Amateur Skywatchers (??? highly dubious...)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100524/sc_space/secretx37bspaceplanespottedbyamateurskywatchers

Hardly, that kind of stuff is done all the time.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf&AD=ADA407255

X-37 Space Vehicle- Starting A New Age In Space Control?

Air Command And Staff College

Air University

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Just stumbled on the following photo by Alan Radecki from 2005.

Source: http://www.universetoday.com/16385/lunar-missions-postponed-by-us-military-x-37b-spaceplane-launch/

 

[Matej]

Original X-40B, more capable than X-37, hmmmm... Since then a lot of has changed. Just as a curiosity, original launch date of X-37 was the second quater of 2003 and third quater 2004 for the X-40B.

 

[RanulfC]

And correct me if I err, but isn't it STILL up there?

Randy

 

[InvisibleDefender]

And correct me if I err, but isn't it STILL up there?

Randy

As far as we know. . .and it can stay up there for a couple more months accoring to the USAF's statement that it can remain on station for ~270 days.

 

[Ian33]

The X-37B indeed is still up there - after doing another vanishing trick.

Found once again by the intrepid south african sky watching folks.

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

There's a report suggesting the X-37B is beginning to make its way down:

[quote author=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1011/23x37bupdate/]
[...]
The 11,000-pound spaceship entered an orbit more than 250 miles above Earth after launch, but four significant maneuvers have since altered that trajectory, causing observers to lose track of the X-37B for several days at a time.

An engine firing Aug. 9 raised the space plane's orbit, but three more maneuvers around Oct. 6, Nov. 1 and Nov. 12 reduced the X-37B's altitude, which is now estimated to be between 174 miles and 182 miles, according to Ted Molczan, a respected and experienced satellite observer in Canada.

The space plane, which appears from the ground as a recognizable moving dot, was rediscovered Tuesday by Greg Roberts, a skywatcher in South Africa. Another precise observation is necessary to confirm the new orbit parameters.
[...]
[/quote]

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Apparently the X-37B really is on its way down now:

[quote author=http://www.facebook.com/AirForceSpaceCommand/posts/115425631858592]
Air Force Space Command
Preparations for the first landing of the X-37B are underway at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Space professionals from the 30th Space Wing will monitor the de-orbit and landing of the Air Force's first X-37B, called the Orbital Test Vehicle 1 (OTV-1). While the exact landing date and time will depend on technical and weather considerations, it is expected to occur between Friday, December 3, and Monday, December 6.
[/quote]

 

[flateric]

added soon after
"Watch out... the X-37B is coming back down...!"

 

[seruriermarshal]

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle lands at Vandenberg AFB

Posted 12/3/2010 Updated 12/3/2010 Email story Print story



30th Space Wing Public Affairs

12/3/2010 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The U.S. Air Force's first unmanned re-entry spacecraft landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base at 1:16 a.m. today.

The X-37B, named Orbital Test Vehicle 1 (OTV-1), conducted on-orbit experiments for more than 220 days during its maiden voyage. It fired its orbital maneuver engine in low-earth orbit to perform an autonomous reentry before landing.

The X-37B is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO), the X-37B program performs risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies.

"Today's landing culminates a successful mission based on close teamwork between the 30th Space Wing, Boeing and the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office," said Lt Col Troy Giese, X-37B program manager from the AFRCO. "We are very pleased that the program completed all the on-orbit objectives for the first mission."

OTV-1's de-orbit and landing mark the transition from the on-orbit demonstration phase to a refurbishment phase for the program.

The Air Force is preparing to launch the next X-37B, OTV-2, in Spring 2011 aboard an Atlas V booster.
http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123233195

 

[InvisibleDefender]

Odd that their only video of the landing is of the vehicle after touchdown and that it's a FLIR.

 

[flateric]

at 1:16 AM without FLIR we would barely see anything at all

 

[InvisibleDefender]

at 1:16 AM without FLIR we would barely see anything at all

LOL - Very true! I didn't notice the time.

 

[Steve Pace]

at 1:16 AM without FLIR we would barely see anything at all

I'm sure that Vandenburg AFB has lights.

 

[ohpossum]

I'm sure that Vandenburg AFB has lights.

Yeah, but why bother with them. One more, "easy", way to keep unauthorized video from being recorded...

brian

 

[Kokoro]

apolagies if thses have been linked to already elsewhere; some pics:
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/file.php/82983/SEF10-11611-001.X-37B.jpg
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/file.php/82986/SEF10-11611-003.X-37B.jpg

 

[flateric]

from 30th Space Wing Facebook page

 

[hagaricus]

Looks like it might have lost a couple of tiles on the starboard leading edge?

 

[quellish]

Wouldn't it be interesting if it came back with much less mass in the payload bay than it left with?

 

[Ian33]

Wouldn't it be interesting if it came back with much less mass in the payload bay than it left with?

Very. Although the chances of being told this are less than my chances of a guided tour of the Skunk Works with all paper work on hypersonics and stealth available for me to leaf through and copy.

Great pictures though.

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Wouldn't it be interesting if it came back with much less mass in the payload bay than it left with?

Or with arsenic residue... ;D

 

[Orionblamblam]

Wouldn't it be interesting if it came back with much less mass in the payload bay than it left with?

Or much more.

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

As it was a first flight I'd be surprised if they risked carrying anything valuable (up or down). But I guess they might have carried a dummy payload up and/or some space 'junk' down to try out its capabilities?

 

[bobbymike]

I like it because it keeps our adversaries guessing and yelling SPACE WEAPON at the top of their lungs ;D

 

[sferrin]

I like it because it keeps our adversaries guessing and yelling SPACE WEAPON at the top of their lungs ;D

Wait 'til they get two of them up there at the same time.

 

[AeroFranz]

I wonder if this is not going to prompt development of similar capabilities by the PRC (and maybe others?).
With the US relying on space assets more than China, such a capability would have obvious interest. So far China's has only shown ASAT capabilities using ground based interceptors in their test a few years back; that must have made pentagon people nervous. I wonder if this was partly what spurred the interest in re-locatable orbital systems. We know a lot of people were looking for the X-37 and were having a hard time locating it, but these were mostly amateurs. How hard would it be for China to track the X-37? And if shot at by a ground interceptor, do you think an X-37 would have the required time/maneuverability to get out of the way?

 

[Deino]

I wonder if this is not going to prompt development of similar capabilities by the PRC (and maybe others?).
...

It is already !!

 

[cardonet]

An interesting paper on "X-37 Storable Propulsion System Design and Operations"
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20060004795_2006003679.pdf

 

[sferrin]

I wonder if this is not going to prompt development of similar capabilities by the PRC (and maybe others?).
With the US relying on space assets more than China, such a capability would have obvious interest. So far China's has only shown ASAT capabilities using ground based interceptors in their test a few years back; that must have made pentagon people nervous. I wonder if this was partly what spurred the interest in re-locatable orbital systems. We know a lot of people were looking for the X-37 and were having a hard time locating it, but these were mostly amateurs. How hard would it be for China to track the X-37? And if shot at by a ground interceptor, do you think an X-37 would have the required time/maneuverability to get out of the way?

If you had a DIRCM on it you could blind an IR KKV pretty easily I'd think.

 

[Stargazer]

If you had a DIRCM on it you could blind an IR KKV pretty easily I'd think.

Sorry for being no expert, but what is a KKV?

 

[bobbymike]

If you had a DIRCM on it you could blind an IR KKV pretty easily I'd think.

Sorry for being no expert, but what is a KKV?

Kinetic Kill Vehicle