X37-B: 631 days in orbit and counting... Wow!

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Space telescopes are interesting. If you put multiple lenses in orbit, the telescope lens then becomes the size of the dispersed lenses. The Webb telescope is going to be cool as hell.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Not just space based telescopes, but ground based as well. It works best with radio telescopes on the ground, for various reasons.

a reply to: Sammamishman

Indeed. There are only a few things I can think of that it could be used for

Weapons in space are forbidden after the nuclear test ban treaty.

But a big tungsten rod is not a weapon per say.

en.wikipedia.org...

Length: 29 ft 3 in (8.9 m)
Wingspan: 14 ft 11 in (4.5 m)
Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
Loaded weight: 11,000 lb (4,990 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Aerojet AR2-3 rocket engine (hydrazine), 6,600 lbf (29.3 kN[33])
Power: Gallium arsenide solar cells with lithium-ion batteries[3]
Payload bay: 7 ft × 4 ft (2.1 m × 1.2 m)

What would you fit in a 7 ft × 4 ft Payload bay?


It is an Air Force vehicle, maybe they do not trust NASA with their INTEL of black asset testing, if you have a test vehicle that is doing MACH 6 at 100,000 klms above the planet it logically makes sense to have another tracking vehicle above it that is also moving along its intended test path for continuous visual data gathering.

Space drones, perhaps this is just the test phase. maybe there is more than one, i think last year they showed it landing on a runway, but it could've been the previous year. i do remember it did spark my interest though. achems razor (dont know the spelling) would suggest its there to spy and mess with enemy satellites

originally posted by: ANNED
Weapons in space are forbidden after the nuclear test ban treaty.

But a big tungsten rod is not a weapon per say.

en.wikipedia.org...

Didnt the russians back out of that treaty? Also the rods are still weapons. a projectile of a weapons platform.

a reply to: yuppa

It's only nuclear weapons I'm pretty sure, and the Rods From God program didn't really go ahead.

Remember though when using space weapons every action has an equal or opposite reaction..

a reply to: B2StealthBomber

IIRC you are correct. The treaty only bans weapons of mass destruction in space, so far those would be nuclear, chemical and biological. Everything else is free game.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
It's developing new technologies that will revolutionize several fields, including astronomy.

I'll just leave this here.

originally posted by: subtopia

What would you fit in a 7 ft × 4 ft Payload bay?

A coffin.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Heard that's been flying over Michigan. Any insights?

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Most of my normal sources have gone into holes for awhile. They're cranky lately, so they're keeping their heads down for a bit.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yeah, I can see them being cranky. FY14 is coming to an end, so I'm sure there's some contention with budgets going on. That's probably just the tip of the iceberg though.

Found this with a quick Google Search. Looks like eight flights were conducted over MI. Doesn't say when or where though. Probably between Grayling, Alpena, and Selfridge. I think LM has something at Willow Run, but I might be a different company I'm thinking about. There will be more test flights over the next year, according to the article, but it, unsurprisingly, doesn't say when or where.

The one part that I did find interesting was this:

Lockheed Martin’s flow control and optical compensation technologies counteract the effects of turbulence caused by the protrusion of a turret from an aircraft’s fuselage.

I wonder what that all entails.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Yeah, they're looking into a possible Snowden type leak too, on top of the budget fight.

There are some interesting things going on with this system, although I still don't see lasers being the big future weapon they've always been portrayed as being. It's interesting though that this comes out not long after the X-37 starts flying. It validates what I've been saying pretty well.

As far as Michigan flying I believe the better part of Lake Huron is a restricted airspace. I have watched them laser dogfight many times over the thumb area. Also about 20 years ago or so 2 jets collided over the thumb and parts were found on a friends farm. I don't think they ever did find one of the pilots. They think he was unconsous and drifted into Lake Huron. Just an FYI

a reply to: mikell

Yeah, they usually have F-16s out of Alpena and Selfridge during the summer. I've also seen A-10s, B1Bs, and, way back when the bases were still operational, the occasional B-52.

Pike East and Steelhead MOA are over Lake Huron and the Thumb. Pike West goes from Saginaw to Alpena, and in as far as about half way to Grayling. There is also a big restricted area out over the lake.

The last few years the most I've seen had been the F-16s dogfighting, usually at night. It was fun to watch them drop flares. Occasionally, early in the morning, a sonic boom from out over the lake was heard.

I'm wondering if they are looking for those magnetic portals in the upper atmosphere that NASA discovered. The X plane looking for the "X" spots? This might revolutionize space travel.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Your leak? Chinese hackers successfully attacked military contractors for 12 months: Senate probe.

ATS thread on the topic.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Entirely possible. They were looking for a person based on some of the information that was out there, but it could be that.