X-37B, Really? Orbital Mission?

originally posted by: scattergun
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...

The orbiter component of the Space Transportation System used by NASA from 1981 to 2011 was built by Rockwell International. The division of the company which built the orbiter was bought out by Boeing in 1996. Boeing didn't build the orbiter, but they own the relevant part of the company which did.

originally posted by: scattergun

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..

Based on the fact that people have been observing it in orbit for the past 22 months I'm pretty sure we can discount ideas that it popped over to Mars or went for a cup of coffee with an alien species.

I'm not saying it's not interesting or mysterious, but I think you should keep your speculation a bit more grounded. Not everything secret involves "aliens". There's significant evidence that this aircraft is doing something very interesting, but also very much earth bound.

Re-positioning and resupplying USAF satellites.

a reply to: aholic
I think the X37B has the clearest vision of what her mission was. Too bad she can't talk and give us any data or feedback as to what she was involved in. Whatever she was doing I'm sure she was very helpful. Maybe one day a resolution to the enigma will grow upon us, and we will all get to clearly see some parts of the mission she was focusing on that whole time. But on the flip side, its possible some of the stuff she possibly developed a small sphere of influence on we'll never see, which could be the point too.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

I feel like you're hinting at something...?

Annoying really...

You do a quick search on what research processes might possibly benefit from Microgravity and you just get a load of "mumbo jumbo" about Meta Materials, Meta-Crystals, Superconductivity, NanoSpheres, High Reliability Turbines and the like.

Bah


USAF taking care of it from here on in?
If the first Microprocessor was in an F14 who's to say the first quantum computer/cloaking device/warp drive/phaser array wont be on an "F24"?

aww, why so serious?
a jewish scottish astronaut lost a penny back in the 60's
this was the recovery mission

there's some people here who come across as though they know stuff
but they aren't saying much about what it was supposedly observed doing for 22 months or w/e?

your move, black knight

Yes really.

The X-37 just by its size alone does not have enough fuel for beyond orbit missions.

a reply to: scattergun

Interesting and the unmanned nature of the device show's the greater viabillity of long duration mission's, unmanned or not launch and return all cost a hell of a lot of money but if you can leave your return vehicle in orbit until it's mission or it's payload's mission is complete then you save a real massive amount of money and can then return it as necessary.

Remember also the original NASA space shuttle and it's Russian clone there white elephant the Buran (which were limited in space mission duration by there human crew's and life support requirement's) where also capable of acting as orbital bombers, indeed the Buran was designed with this in mind so it is logical to assume that the US military have this as a potential use among many others for the X37-B.

While I believe it has indeed been in orbit and gone no further (though one UFO conspiracy site claim's it went to the moon) there is no reason it could not have stayed in orbit as a relay communication with a secondary vehicle recovered by it on return for delivery back to the air base it landed at and perhape even used to launch said other vehicle (probe/payload), now it was most likely simply a intel operation as the payload can be outfitted with any number of systems including spy hardware, space telescopes (though that would seem more civil unless there is something they know we don't) or even satelite repair or refueling systems (some of the aging satellite's are still incredibly valuable and refueling and repairing them would shave millions or even billions from the military space budget).

What I want to know is when NASA is going to get a new Skylab and a new manned Shuttle up there as if they don't then you can kiss america's and therefore the Wests space dominance and therefore future military dominance goodbye due to short sighted white house policy's (no offence to the US but that is what they seem to be, now is the time you need a new kennedy).

originally posted by: crazyewok
Yes really.

The X-37 just by its size alone does not have enough fuel for beyond orbit missions.

Logical conclusion base on current known propulsion system's but of course there is every chance they have new systems' and we don't really know what they were testing up there but of course it did not leave orbit.

Here is that site I think is a bit wacked out on the claim it went to the moon though some of there stuff is interesting I think I will stick with ATS.
www.ufosightingsdaily.com...
Of course they are wrong.

Still If I was the military and I wanted a quiet payload delivery system (not a return system as the X37-B ties that up nicely) I would use magneto accelerated launch systems (Basically a giant rail gun and they have that technology for decades as proven by the US NAVY which I would then place under ground so conceal it, launch only at night and use stealth (Radar absorbant) housing on the launched projectiles making the launches invisible until and unless they shed there stealth delivery system and activated there positioning and deceleration thrustors to adjust there obit, ideal for solid state satellite's and virtually undetectable to any potentian rival as the launch would have minimal heat signature as well as being virtually silent except for a sonic boom so what is the real reason for the X37-B unless it is primarily a service and recovery vehicle, what is more this type of launch system despite the initial overlay would be far more economical than the chemical rocket type over multiple launch use as well as having weapon deployment potential to maintain the satellite weapons platforms shroud.

the question you should be asking, instead of who built it, is what kind of experiment would be conducted by the military that would need to be returned to earth, or what kind of experiment would last nearly 2 years that wouldn't need to be returned to earth.

the only reason it would need to be returned, if not for an experiment, would be to service and refuel the craft

a reply to: bigx001

Or to drop off the product of it's mission.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Haha! I see you reflected on those older posts I suggested.

I think you want to believe in something, even if it isn't there.
Not everything is above top secret.

a reply to: metodex

People would be shocked at how mundane most classified info is. They always seem to assume classified means souch more than it does.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Yes I now mirror much of your outlook regarding the mission.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: metodex

People would be shocked at how mundane most classified info is. They always seem to assume classified means souch more than it does.

Quite. To some people secret = involving aliens. I used to sit next to a filing cabinet of the most tedious reports you ever read... all classified top secret!

originally posted by: Jukiodone
If the first Microprocessor was in an F14 who's to say the first quantum computer/cloaking device/warp drive/phaser array wont be on an "F24"?

Who told you the first microprocessor was in an F14?

eta: hint - not only was the MP944 NOT the first multibit processor (although it was a very nice one for the time), there were some pretty fast bit slice machines in use in the military, System AL1, and a number of single bit serial processing chips that were used in ICBMs. You could buy a 4004 the same year the MP944 hit the street.

originally posted by: gfad

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: metodex

People would be shocked at how mundane most classified info is. They always seem to assume classified means souch more than it does.

Quite. To some people secret = involving aliens. I used to sit next to a filing cabinet of the most tedious reports you ever read... all classified top secret!

Amen, brother. Got a previously TS classified screwdriver drawing on the wall at work. It was a flat blade.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Right? It could be as mundane as new insulation material or new types of wiring that needs to be exposed to the temperatures of LEO for durability testing.

Not everything is reverse-engineered alien technology or some kind of evil super weapon.