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Mystery of the Pentagon’s space plane: X-37B breaks record after circling Earth for 470 days - but won't reveal what mission was for
Published: 07:09 EST, 1 April 2014 | Updated: 07:14 EST, 1 April 2014
A U.S. space plane, shrouded in secrecy, has broken its own longevity record by staying in orbit for more than 469 days.
The flight is the third for the X-37B mystery mission and was launched on December 11, 2012, atop an Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral.
Little is known about the spacecraft, which is taken into orbit on a rocket but lands like the space shuttle by gliding down to Earth.
+5
A U.S. space plane, shrouded in secrecy, has broken its own longevity record by staying in orbit for more than 469 days
The mission's first orbital launch, USA-212, took place on 22 April 2010. A second X-37 was launched on 5 March 2011 and returned to Earth on 16 June 2012.
More...
Mystery surrounds the exact type and capabilities of the hardware aboard with some analysts suggesting it will be used to support U.S. soldiers in various warzones around the world.
+5
THE X-37B MYSTERY MISSIONS
The U.S. Air Force's unmanned X-37B space plane has flown three secret missions to date.
Each time it has carried a mystery payload on long-duration flights in Earth orbit.
The spacecraft looks similar to Nasa's space shuttle but is much smaller. The X-37B is about 29 feet (8.8m) long and 9.5 feet (2.9 m) tall.
It has a wingspan just less than 15 feet (4.6 m). At launch, it weighs 11,000 lbs (4,990 kg).
The craft is taken into orbit on a rocket but lands like the space shuttle by gliding down to Earth.
Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell told IDG it seems clear one of the big features is the plane’s ability to stay in space for extended periods of time.
‘The Air Force now has a policy of acquiring capabilities rather than missions, so some general somewhere probably thinks it would be spiffy to have a space plane that can launch at short notice,’ he said.
‘It’s worthwhile learning lessons from the shuttle and how to do turn-arounds cheaper.’
Ahead of the X-37B’s first launch, officials said the craft would conduct experiments involving the transport of satellite sensors, subsystems, components, and associated technology into space.
‘I believe it’s testing some kind of experimental sensor for the National Reconnaissance Office; for example, a hyper spectral imager, or some new kind of signals intelligence package,’ Mr McDowell said to IDG.
‘The sensor was more successful than expected, so the payload customer asked the X-37 folks to keep the spacecraft in orbit longer.’
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Personnel are shown here inspecting the X-37B, the Air Force's first unmanned re-entry spacecraft, after landing on December 3, 2010 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California
There are rumours circulating that the craft has been kept in space to spy on the new Chinese space station, Tiangong.
However, analysts have pointed out that surveillance would be tricky, since the spacecraft would rush past each other at thousands of metres per second.
In May 2011, amateur astronomers were able to detect the orbital pattern of the first X-37B which included flyovers of North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, heightening the suspicion that the vehicle was being used for surveillance.
Other industry analysts have speculated that the Air Force is just making use of the X-37B’s amazing fuel efficiency and keeping it in space for as long as possible to show off its credentials and protect it from budget cuts.
+5
This April 5, 2010 photo made available by the U.S. Air Force shows the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle at the Astrotech facility in Titusville Florida - this was the vehicle's second launch
+5
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, carrying an X-37B experimental robotic space plane, lifts off from launch complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 2012
I think the reports of the U.S. space programs demise may be greatly exaggerated. Sorry.
- Spacecraft taken into orbit on a rocket but lands by gliding down to Earth
- Is the third and longest flight for mission which is shrouded in secrecy
- Some analysts suggest it will help support American soldiers in warzones
- Other rumours are circulating that the craft has been kept in space to spy on the new Chinese space station, Tiangong
Published: 07:09 EST, 1 April 2014 | Updated: 07:14 EST, 1 April 2014
A U.S. space plane, shrouded in secrecy, has broken its own longevity record by staying in orbit for more than 469 days.
The flight is the third for the X-37B mystery mission and was launched on December 11, 2012, atop an Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral.
Little is known about the spacecraft, which is taken into orbit on a rocket but lands like the space shuttle by gliding down to Earth.
+5
A U.S. space plane, shrouded in secrecy, has broken its own longevity record by staying in orbit for more than 469 days
The mission's first orbital launch, USA-212, took place on 22 April 2010. A second X-37 was launched on 5 March 2011 and returned to Earth on 16 June 2012.
More...
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Mystery surrounds the exact type and capabilities of the hardware aboard with some analysts suggesting it will be used to support U.S. soldiers in various warzones around the world.
+5
THE X-37B MYSTERY MISSIONS
The U.S. Air Force's unmanned X-37B space plane has flown three secret missions to date.
Each time it has carried a mystery payload on long-duration flights in Earth orbit.
The spacecraft looks similar to Nasa's space shuttle but is much smaller. The X-37B is about 29 feet (8.8m) long and 9.5 feet (2.9 m) tall.
It has a wingspan just less than 15 feet (4.6 m). At launch, it weighs 11,000 lbs (4,990 kg).
The craft is taken into orbit on a rocket but lands like the space shuttle by gliding down to Earth.
Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell told IDG it seems clear one of the big features is the plane’s ability to stay in space for extended periods of time.
‘The Air Force now has a policy of acquiring capabilities rather than missions, so some general somewhere probably thinks it would be spiffy to have a space plane that can launch at short notice,’ he said.
‘It’s worthwhile learning lessons from the shuttle and how to do turn-arounds cheaper.’
Ahead of the X-37B’s first launch, officials said the craft would conduct experiments involving the transport of satellite sensors, subsystems, components, and associated technology into space.
‘I believe it’s testing some kind of experimental sensor for the National Reconnaissance Office; for example, a hyper spectral imager, or some new kind of signals intelligence package,’ Mr McDowell said to IDG.
‘The sensor was more successful than expected, so the payload customer asked the X-37 folks to keep the spacecraft in orbit longer.’
+5
Personnel are shown here inspecting the X-37B, the Air Force's first unmanned re-entry spacecraft, after landing on December 3, 2010 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California
There are rumours circulating that the craft has been kept in space to spy on the new Chinese space station, Tiangong.
However, analysts have pointed out that surveillance would be tricky, since the spacecraft would rush past each other at thousands of metres per second.
In May 2011, amateur astronomers were able to detect the orbital pattern of the first X-37B which included flyovers of North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, heightening the suspicion that the vehicle was being used for surveillance.
Other industry analysts have speculated that the Air Force is just making use of the X-37B’s amazing fuel efficiency and keeping it in space for as long as possible to show off its credentials and protect it from budget cuts.
+5
This April 5, 2010 photo made available by the U.S. Air Force shows the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle at the Astrotech facility in Titusville Florida - this was the vehicle's second launch
+5
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, carrying an X-37B experimental robotic space plane, lifts off from launch complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 2012
I think the reports of the U.S. space programs demise may be greatly exaggerated. Sorry.
