X-37B, Really? Orbital Mission?

OK, if you have been following this Prototype and believe that it has been buzzing around our orbit the last 22 Months I really feel for ya. This has been bothering my "slow desensitize brain the last week. I knew something just wasn't right the moment i heard the story but couldn't quite put my finger on it. I did a few days of snooping and lurking around the web and made a few interesting discoveries I wanted to toss out to you all about this "Mission" and get some feedback.

A: Boeing don't build Orbiters.. The x-37b is a ROBOTIC AIRCRAFT. They have never built an orbiter and leave that to Nasa and other "kick starter" Space companies. Here is the link for the products Boeing makes...www.boeing.com...

B: I would like to think that we can control, hack, destroy, direct and basically screw with just about any hardware floating in our orbit without the need for a x-37b.

C: I also believe, but can't confirm that this mission was a Rendezvous with another species. The x-37b was on a unmanned diplomatic mission. When we are told it was orbiting the Earth it was pretty far out there.. Besides when did we believe anything they told us anyway?

Your Thoughts..

a reply to: scattergun

Besides when did we believe anything they told us anyway?

Well yah, if its that secret Boeing wouldn't list it.

a reply to: scattergun

Besides when did we believe anything they told us anyway?

One reason? Because people on the ground have been watching it in orbit for the past couple of years.

a reply to: scattergun

@C: I also believe, but can't confirm that this mission was a Rendezvous with another species.
Interesting...

1 had considered these where some of its interest
a-gather more data on possible observed celestial activities
b-possible mission to deflect or eliminate any close EA*RTH cosmic remnants Asteroid/Comet like that may have posed a threat to EA*RTH inhabitants
c-assist in advanced observation platform in case there is possible threat to civilization from species self hatred wars
d-way outta box it went to deliver some coffee

NAMASTE*******

a reply to: intrptr

The X-37 isn't the secret. It's pretty hard to hide something like that. Its the mission that's classified.

a reply to: Zaphod58

The X-37 isn't the secret. It's pretty hard to hide something like that. Its the mission that's classified.

So they list it in their catalog? Where?

Can I see it on display? Where, please?

ETA: If not, then it is "classified".

a reply to: scattergun

If we are betting--well, I would rather simply guess, I would guess that it went to Mars and back and any reports of it having been in earth orbit for that period of time were either contrived or another body was touted as being it.

Yes, there are several reasons that can be conjectured why it was in orbit for two years, but they are about as fanciful as those offered by we peons.

Now a bit of reasonable reasoning. Perhaps it was powered by the new type of engine that they recently revealed. That system could make the voyage to Mars--and back-- quite economically as compared to the usual chemical rockets that are in our stables. Plus, it would negate the need for the careful launch timing caused by fuel constraints. As our first mission to the Moon was a test of our equipment for future missions, this probable mission to Mars would have been a test of the delivery system for far cheaper and through investigations of Mars. Maybe it has a load of Mars' rocks, a Martian fossil or an artifact.

a reply to: intrptr

No, that means military. Classified means we know nothing about it or that it exists. Not that they announce the launch and landing ahead of time.

Classified:

Official information that has been determined to require, in the interests of national security, protection against unauthorized disclosure and which has been so designated.

www.thefreedictionary.com...

Now, it sure seems like a press release saying the X-37B is landing this week, sire doesn't fall under the "unauthorized disclosure" part of that.

And yes you can see it listed on Boeing's website with other aircraft they make.

www.boeing.com...

The platform isn't classified.

a reply to: Zaphod58

No, that means military. Classified means we know nothing about it or that it exists. Not that they announce the launch and landing ahead of time.

And all I meant is that its Classified: "Top Secret". Fair enough?

Everything about it, its capabilities and its mission.

Yes I think it exists. I''ll even guess what it was doing. Among other things, meddling with other nations satellites.

a reply to: Zaphod58

"The platform isn't classified."

Oh, that's right'! And UFOs don't exist, so swears government and the industries that they feed!

a reply to: intrptr

And the only portion that is classified is what it did in orbit. There's actually a pretty good amount about its capabilities, and just watching it in orbit tells you a lot about it.

a reply to: Aliensun

So the government broadcasts classified information and has press releases about it now huh.

Maybe you can go find some more great stuff they released since they apparently can't even keep this secret.

originally posted by: Ophiuchus 13
a reply to: scattergun

@C: I also believe, but can't confirm that this mission was a Rendezvous with another species.
Interesting...


d-way outta box it went to deliver some coffee

NAMASTE*******

That's pretty close

a reply to: Zaphod58

…and just watching it in orbit tells you a lot about it.

Tells me? Whatever you can "tells me a lot about".

That link to Boeing's sillouhette was nice but, not "a lot".

a reply to: intrptr

It's also far from the only source out there. There's more information to be found.

And yes watching what it's doing in flight reveals a lot more than most people realize.

I haven't offered my comments on what I believe the craft is doing, but I suppose I can do so now. First of all, we know it was in orbit, as Phage said, so there is no chance that it slipped away unbeknownst to us. It has been postulated that the space-plane is tampering with foreign satellites, but I think this is highly unlikely. I see only two possible explanations that are sufficient for accounting for what the craft has done thus far. The first is that it is doing reconnaissance or intelligence work, basically looking down on certain locations. The orbital path and the extended duration of the flight make this highly probable in my opinion. Of course we have satellites that can do such things, but the X37 likely has even more advanced hardware than our latest spy satellites. Of course there is one important factor that would limit the plane's functionality for spying...and that is the fuel consumption.

The plane could position itself above many different locations to do its spy work, but this would eat up an extreme amount of fuel very quickly. They could minimize the movements by making only those that are absolutely necessary, by allowing the craft to reach a certain point in orbit, but we are still talking about a high rate of fuel consumption. Unless they have figured out a way around this, the intelligence gathering capabilities of the craft are going to be limited to its fuel supply. I still think that it is possible that it is a spy-plane, despite this drawback.

The only other possibility, again in my personal opinion, is that the craft was deploying clandestine satellites in orbit. This would also make sense. Perhaps they left it in orbit for a longer period of time than was necessary because they wanted foreign governments to believe it was a spy plane, when in reality it was releasing spy satellites. Of course these spy satellites will likely eventually be discovered by advanced foreign nations, but there are many variables to take into account, which I will not get into here. All of the other proposed purposes make no sense to me, and thus I believe it is one of the two that I've listed above.

a reply to: JiggyPotamus

You left out manufacturing. Crystals grown in space are much more efficient.

a reply to: Zaphod58
....And don't forget the possibility of endurance and durability testing for prototype systems and materials. These could be destined for another purpose or mission yet to be built or revealed.

a reply to: thebozeian

Agreed bozeian; this too is where I align my self. Knowing the AF there would be a thousand "missions" they'd want to perform and practice with an autonomous spacecraft beginning with maneuvering, durability and when it comes to endurance....satellites do need to be refueled. The 37b might be a tanker..

ssco.gsfc.nasa.gov...

When very expensive optical satellites need to be re-positioned they tend to run out of fuel. This seems like a great, scratch that, PERFECT vehicle to resupply them.

When it comes to compromising enemy satellite resources we've had that capability for years. This is not that.

I don't think it's mission was anything too out of this world. I believe it was just left up there for a long period of time to make sure it still worked when they turned it back on or whatever to come back home.

Maybe a test for future flight to another planet or long time recon here on earth.... Just guessing.