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Air Force's X-37B Space Plane Nears 1 Year in Orbit
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Lynn Send message Joined: 20 Nov 00 Posts: 14162 Credit: 79,603,650 RAC: 123 |
What is it doing? Mystery Mission: Air Force's X-37B Space Plane Nears 1 Year in Orbit The U.S. military's uncrewed X-37B space plane is nearing one year in orbit on its latest secret mission. The robotic space plane launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on May 20, 2015, kicking off the X-37B program's fourth flight. This mission, dubbed OTV-4 (short for Orbital Test Vehicle-4), remains a clandestine affair. http://www.space.com/32839-x37b-military-space-plane-one-year-mission-otv4.html |
Darth Beaver Send message Joined: 20 Aug 99 Posts: 6728 Credit: 21,443,075 RAC: 3 |
Thank's Lynn interesting I don't think there doing anything weird . One of the vids shows it as a test bed which seems to be about right , does it have camera's or other listening devices yes possibly all satellite since the early 70's have a camera . NASA had a service on the net called earth views at one time where they would switch over to a random satellite and show the Earth ... They got in a bit of trouble one day when they televised something they shouldn't have so yes it's spying on use , does it have Nukes thou , that would be dangerous , a circling Nuke Platform with a few nukes seeing as the payload it 5,000 kg's or so , 3 average 3.0ltr cars in weight as a comparison ! ? I just hope there not and doing what they say they are , with knowing there going to spy it is a military Vehicle . |
tullio Send message Joined: 9 Apr 04 Posts: 8797 Credit: 2,930,782 RAC: 1 |
The USAF has two telescopes with the mirror the size of Hubble which were to be put in orbit to watch Earth and not the galaxies. Now they are mothballed and USAF has offered them to NASA, which hasn't the money to recondition them and launch them. Probably the X-37B has taken their role, with the advantage it can land and does not have to transmit images, which can be intercepted. Tullio |
Darth Beaver Send message Joined: 20 Aug 99 Posts: 6728 Credit: 21,443,075 RAC: 3 |
Sounds like a good idea it look big enough to put a telescope that could extend out far enough . The shuttle was to big and carried people this is a simpler design 5 ton payload is big , the shuttle 25 ton I think , size of a truck fully loaded ,to big less risk too no people . |
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