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originally posted by: anzha
For many years, the US has been flying its own unmanned spaceplane. This is the X-37B[1]. the USAF - and presumably now the space force - has been launching and landing the X-37B. Sometimes these have been on very long missions (around two years). There are many aspects of the missions. There have been experiments carried aboard. We know for sure the X-37B has been used as a spysat based on the revelations of ex SecAF Wilson[2] We have discussed the spaceplane often here[3,4,5,6 and a lot more]. We have allowed it on the aviation forum because of the wings.
China, today, launched its own equivalent, the CZ-E[7,8]. The US military confirmed the launch[9], calling the spacecraft the "PRC TEST SPACECRAFT." The spaceplane was lofted by a Long March-2F/T rocket. There has been a lot of art about the Chinese spaceplane, but little in the way of photography. The flight is an orbital test flight. Not a lot of information has been released other than it is a test flight.
China is not the only "country" seeking to mimic the X-37B. The Europeans have been openly working on their Space Rider[10] for a similar role. The Russians perennially talk about building one.
Even if the chinese have just flown a test flight, assuming they are successful, PRC will be closing the capability gap in a huge way. The orbital high ground is one place the US has dominated for the last 30 years. This is becoming no longer the case. The Chinese have been building ASATs and other means of denying the US military orbit, but now they are also building out the capabilities to match the US in orbit. The CZ-E and the X-37B are far, far harder to predict in their orbits than traditional spy sats. They can also potentially be used to inspect other satellites or carry smaller payloads into specific orbits from their launch sites, including weapons.
The US could adapt the Sierra Nevada DreamChaser[11] and it would be far more capable than the X-37B for most missions. There is an unmanned version being developed to deliver cargo to the international space station. The pod on the back is being developed into a mini space station by the US Space Force[12]. That's a topic for another forum though.
Today was a big day. And it was not a good one for the US. FOr China, it seems to be a good one. For them, if they are lucky, they will have an even better one when they land the CZ-E after the flight. We await actual photographs.
Any ATSers with very good telescopes? The X-37B was photographed in orbit after all[3]
1. en.wikipedia.org...
2. taskandpurpose.com...
3. www.abovetopsecret.com...
4. www.abovetopsecret.com...
5. www.abovetopsecret.com...
6. www.abovetopsecret.com...
7. www.nasaspaceflight.com...
8. spacenews.com...
9. www.thedrive.com...
10. www.esa.int...
11. en.wikipedia.org...
12. www.thedrive.com...
originally posted by: anzha
The CZ-E and the X-37B are far, far harder to predict in their orbits than traditional spy sats. They can also potentially be used to inspect other satellites or carry smaller payloads into specific orbits from their launch sites, including weapons.
I too was skeptical about the orbit changes. Sure it's possible, but fuel is limited, and you can only do so much with limited fuel. As that post you linked explained, there's not much evidence of any exceptional capabilities for changing orbits so far.
originally posted by: mightmight
Great blogpost about the subject: sattrackcam.blogspot.com...
originally posted by: anzha
The CZ-E isn't ahead of the X-37B, but we've been stagnate for a while now: it's been ten years since the US flew the X-37B for the first time.
The US has become complacent and allowed China to catch up and surpass it.
originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: SleeperHasAwakened
They didn't have to. The Pentagon has conceded China is ahead technology in many areas.
www.wsj.com...
The CZ-E isn't ahead of the X-37B, but we've been stagnate for a while now: it's been ten years since the US flew the X-37B for the first time.
The US has become complacent and allowed China to catch up and surpass it.