US military's top secret X-37B shuttle 'disappears' for two weeks, changes orbit

Some pictures for you.












That should be plenty of now.

Thankyou

Originally posted by upgrayedd
I'm more interested in the design of the craft than what it's actually doing up there. To me, this looks like a drone. It doesn't have any windows and it really doesn't look too large.

I can't imagine that thing holding too much cargo or even crew for that matter. So maybe it's designed to be an orbital spy plane that can be remotely controlled.

It's autonomous but can be piloted remotely. That was it's original official billing. ATS discussed it in detail in a massive thread on it earlier this year.

There are no crew accommodations, With the miniaturization of modern technology it's not hard to imagine football sized Satellites/Killer Drones in space.

SDI-Brilliant Pebbles anybody?
The First video is of an early test late 80s early 90s. The second video at the end 0:10 shows the latest model. The X37B could carry and deploy 100's into individual orbits from it's cargo bay.







[edit on 25-8-2010 by SLAYER69]

This is from my Flyby app:

X-37B

Visablitiy: August 26 2010
Rise Time: 5:03:34AM
Direction to Look: WNW
Transit Time: 5:06:58
Elevation: 51.2
Magnitude: 2.6 (visable)

Of course the location is set for where a am SW VA, but should be prtty close for any Mid-Atlantic location.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Thanks Slayer my picture is from when NASA was running the program

Thanks for reply's so far.

Thankyou

Originally posted by 5 oClock
This is from my Flyby app:

X-37B

Visablitiy: August 26 2010
Rise Time: 5:03:34AM
Direction to Look: WNW
Transit Time: 5:06:58
Elevation: 51.2
Magnitude: 2.6 (visable)

Of course the location is set for where a am SW VA, but should be prtty close for any Mid-Atlantic location.

Can you calculate the trajectory for Monday the 16th at around 4:41 am? If it's in viewing range for the same region, I might have seen it when I was looking for the Perseids, if not, still no idea what it was.

www.abovetopsecret.com... (My post is halfway down the page. I can give you the trajectory of the object I saw, also if you need it).

Originally posted by elfie

Originally posted by 5 oClock
This is from my Flyby app:

X-37B

Visablitiy: August 26 2010
Rise Time: 5:03:34AM
Direction to Look: WNW
Transit Time: 5:06:58
Elevation: 51.2
Magnitude: 2.6 (visable)

Of course the location is set for where a am SW VA, but should be prtty close for any Mid-Atlantic location.

Can you calculate the trajectory for Monday the 16th at around 4:41 am? If it's in viewing range for the same region, I might have seen it when I was looking for the Perseids, if not, still no idea what it was.

I checked it won't let me go back, I'd take a screen shot but it's a pain in the but to e-mail then tranfer to ATS.

Here's what it says in the news section for:

X-37B
Satellite spotters have found the X-37B. It has been put back into the app satellite database.

Should also be able to see on:

Friday 8-27-10
5:55:58AM
until 5:59:25AM
61.0 elevation
2.3 (visible)

reply to post by 5 oClock


Much appreciated, thanks! I'll have to wait for the next passes then, won't be out there until later on Friday.



Mod Note: Excessive Quoting – Please Review This Link

[edit on Wed Aug 25 2010 by Jbird]

reply to post by 5 oClock


So its known were it is but(What is it doing)Hmm

Thanks 5 oClock
And it can stay in orbit for up to 270 days.

Thankyou

Just found this its got some more info on this.

Air Force's Mystery X-37B Space Plane Fuels Speculation

The X37-B craft was built by Boeing's Phantom Works with the mission run under the wing of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. The reusable and diminutive OTV space plane is the first vehicle since the space shuttle orbiter able to return experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis.
ts stats are modest: The vehicle tips the scales at 11,000 pounds (4,989 kg) and is just over 29 feet (8.8 meters) in length and stands slightly more than 9 1/2 feet (2.9 meters) in height. It sports a wingspan of a little over 14 feet (4.2 meters).

More at linkwww.space.com...
#
(able to return experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis) I can see this been good for NASA but Air Force there not scientists

Thankyou

It's showing up on Heavens Above too now. I use it mainly for ISS passes, but anyone can set it up for their locations too. There's even a quick link for the X-37B on the main page. Enjoy.

~TCT~

Originally posted by kenny71
Haha the secrets out! Thats so odd that it vanished for two weeks. How does everyone know that? So let me get this straight. We have a secret space shuttle that we have pictures of, orbit trajectory so we know where said secret shuttle is at all times and now everyone knows that the secret space shuttle went out of its secret orbit to a secret place for two weeks? Not so much as a conspiracy as it should have been a bad 80's movie starring the cast of Ghostbusters.

The problem with trying to keep spacecraft secret is that there's not a lot to really hide behind in space.
Anything in orbit has to keep to an easily predictable curve (the orbit), or has to expend fuel to change that orbit, even changing orbit is relatively predictable as there are limits on the amount of delta-V (Change in orbital velocity can be equated to change in orbital altitude) that an orbital object can output without either degrading it's orbit to the point of re-entry or boosting itself to escape velocity.

do spy planes leave their nations logo on?

reply to post by superluminal11


They, NASA and our military space force, has never told us the truth about anything critical to our discoveries and capabilities in space. No reason why we should start now. That thing is a decoy...as is the whole shuttle scheme and the ISS.

If you can accept ANY black triangle report that indicates a UFO-type capability, you must automatically reject any official BS about ROCKETS being the power for any modern space device. These days, rockets are limiited to being disposable munitions of one type or another.

To paraphrase that old Oldsmobile commercial: Triangles are not your father's rockets. The "Star Wars: program was not a joke. That was where the Pentagon's missing trillions of dollars went. (Yes, I and others can bad mouth the expense and secrecy, but behind it all is a massive attempt at security for all of us. Let us not forget that.)

reply to post by mars1


I commented about this craft back in April when it was launched and back then I theorized that the craft was designed for much more than just knocking out satellites.

We live in highly technical era and the many satellites in space are of an older technology. Imagine instead of blowing up the satellites which of course would tip your hand to the enemy, imagine a craft that could pull things from space like the satellite into the space craft and then they could replace secret components and or reprogram components to function differently when time comes for them to be used in a state of war.

In such a way, we could know when the enemy is ready to strike and where and instead of releasing weapons from some space based platform they could remain unfired or they could instead of striking NY because of the reprogramming, instead strike the capital of whomever was planning on attacking us.

This would let us know well in advance and with our ability to either kill satellites by some electronic trigger, I contend that they bring the satellites into the belly of the space craft and work like little Keebler Elves doing secret stuff that not even those who own the satellites will know or suspect let alone be checking it to see if it has been prepared for destruction or if will be used against those that claim ownership of such satellites when they need it most.

This ability to alter or modify other nations satellites would change many things in the military arena and would afford a nation like us an edge over those that have the capability to launch nuclear missiles at our American cities.

There are so many things that we could learn by affixing an internal bug or ear and well, the possibilities in the black projects field is enormous. I sit and ponder what I would do if I could grab your satellite and do to it what I want without you knowing it.

Decent subject matter. Just don't read enough conspiracies to suit my sense of real conspiracy. Oh well thanks anyway, but the space craft is indeed a useful tool in any nations inventory.

Thanks for the posting. I for one truly enjoyed it because it is the first really forward looking smart thing I have seen if indeed they are doing anything similar to what I suggest.

reply to post by MaxBlack


Very good post Max Black very interesting that's the thing with something like this the mind can run away.

Whatever this is for it must be success i hear they are constructing another one.

Now America has started the ball rolling what is Russia and China and the rest to send up and not tell what there up to

Looks like space is the new playground.

Thankyou

It has been designed for wormhole exploration!

I'm just speculating

This is Reagan's "Star Wars" initiative finally seeing some light.

Stealth drones... *tsk tsk*... #### this world.

If you wanted to hide the fact that you were testing F.T.L (Faster than light) travel you would equip the shuttle with rockets making it appear as if the engines are nothing special.. you would achieve low orbital status and engage the FTL drive. The ship would loose communications for a while as im sure we dont have Sub Space communication if we are just now getting to FTL travel. It probably then return to earth by pre-programed instructions. Something is most definently up here, and it really is starting to seem as if Obama can't tell a single freaking truth!

This is starting to sound like another old program the Manned Orbital Laboratory.
en.wikipedia.org...

The public was told that the Manned Orbital Laboratory was for research but later it was found to be maned spy mission.

I Now believe that the X-37b is some type super secret unmanned weapons system.

i dont think its for FTL becouse theres to much space junk and mynute astroid parts out there it would be to risky to move that quick, anyway we will never now what it is realy for