Air Force's Secretive X-37B Space Plane Will Land Soon

[may3rd]

Source: Space.com

After more than a year in space, the U.S. Air Force's secretive robotic space plane, the X-37B, is coming down soon.

That's the word today (May 30) from officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the site where the reusable miniature space shuttle will land in the next few weeks, technical and weather conditions permitting.


While the exact landing date and time of the unmanned X-37B space plane is not yet determined, according to a Vandenberg Air Force Base statement, the craft’s touchdown "is expected to occur during the early- to mid-June timeframe."

According to an Air Force fact sheet on the vehicle: "The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, is a non-operational system that will demonstrate a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the U.S. Air Force. The objectives of the OTV program include space experimentation, risk reduction and a concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies."

Read more: http://www.space.com/15926-secret-x37b-space-plane-landing.html

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Does the Dragon coverage threaten the air force ?
Probably not but they are still a contender after all was quiet for so long about it being "Lost in Space"

[happerbolic]

1. That's just the model they like to show to the public...

...the real one will be coming to land with the cloak of the night.

[TrollBuster9090]

3. MODEL?

BAH, to hell with this! Get my razor, draw a bath, and get these Kleenex boxes off my feet!

[Bill USA]

2. slightly amazing.. autonomous robot space plane. Here's the next model.... image

Klatu, birata nikto. Gort! Klatu birata nikto! Nikto, nikto, aaauuughhhh!!!!
(just kidding)

[TrollBuster9090]

4. So, John McCain had something to do with this?

[Bill USA]

6. This is the next GOP candidate and plan to circumvent Democracy

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Prototype pilot trying to protect vehicle from skyjackers

[Poll_Blind]

7. Can't wait till there are nukes in space! Can you?

We'll all get to live the Sword of Damocles!



PB

[Nihil]

9. No need for nukes ...

"Rods from God" (sorry USAF, "hypervelocity rod bundles&quot are so innocuous that the system
is not prohibited by either the Outer Space Treaty nor the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

The fact that they are far more effective than nukes (and a hell of a lot less detectable)
means that it's a virtual guarantee that the project is not only ongoing but, with this little
publicised development, getting pretty close to realisation (i.e., in terms of years rather
than the previously projected 2025+ timescale).

[Canuckistanian]

8. I've used X-37B before

It's wonderful for cleaning toilets. And gets those stubborn stains out of the driveway.