Why the Bio-Hazard Suits near the X-37B?

reply to post by tpsreporter

After a flight, the X-37 will vent off hydrazine vapors. I would want a Level A suit, too. And it uses hydrogen peroxide, a toxic oxidizing agent, as fuel.

reply to post by tpsreporter


The X-37 is much smaller, so the crew is closer to the APU, which is the biggest user of hydrazine in a craft. There are also a lot of other toxic materials that are in use I'm sure, as was suggested in another post.

On the shuttle, and the X-37, the thrusters are last used in the deorbit burn, and there's plenty of time for the hydrazine to dissipate to safe levels before it lands. The APU exhaust on the shuttle is on either side of the tail, and it vents up into the air.

If you look at some of the pictures of the X-37, the people servicing it are almost as tall as it is (minus the top of the tails), which means that they are right there by the APU exhaust, no matter where they put it on the vehicle. That means that the chances of hydrazine exposure is much higher with the X-37 than it was with the shuttles.

From this picture the yellow box is for locking the tires.

reply to post by JBA2848


One is a wheel chock, the one that they are carrying looks like a Geiger counter or some kind of measuring device.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Great photos!

At the very least this does show that the use of the Full Body suits is more or less standard practice with the X37-B.

Is that first photo a pre-mission service? Or maybe just a time far between missions when there would be no fuel? I'm surprised that with such a classified mission they would let so many people around it.

If the theory that those are Geiger Counters is true, then it does make one wonder what the cargo is. Could just be for any radiation it might acquire in space flight though.

Originally posted by tpsreporter
reply to post by Zaphod58

 

Great photos!

At the very least this does show that the use of the Full Body suits is more or less standard practice with the X37-B.

Is that first photo a pre-mission service? Or maybe just a time far between missions when there would be no fuel? I'm surprised that with such a classified mission they would let so many people around it.

If the theory that those are Geiger Counters is true, then it does make one wonder what the cargo is. Could just be for any radiation it might acquire in space flight though.

I did read that its scheduled to launch in October

www.abovetopsecret.com... could be a toxic gas moniter as was sugested in this thread on its last mission .

the photos are old

Originally posted by haven123

www.abovetopsecret.com... could be a toxic gas moniter as was sugested in this thread on its last mission .

Good call. That does fit in with the currently suggested use of the suits being for toxic chemicals.

My bet is that the X37-B is presented as this ultra classified machine to distract the public from the real secrets. The real top end technology is never seen and never presented to the public even in accidental media leaks or clear as day photos of the craft and those working on it (as in the X37-B).

The most secretive technology we own is probably so compartmentalized that we don't even know what to speculate it's basic concept represents, let alone start speculating on it's mission and design.

reply to post by tpsreporter


The cargo would be enclosed in the bay though. The external portions of the vehicle obviously aren't classified, so as long as they don't open the bays with so many people around it, then there's no problem.

Most likely this is a post flight servicing, well after any vented hazmat has cleared, before they take it to whatever hangar they use for servicing and preparation.

reply to post by haven123


The military uses these.
About the size of a paperback book.

reply to post by Zaphod58

Hydrazine is highly toxic and dangerously unstable, especially in the anhydrous form. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Symptoms of acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of hydrazine may include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, dizziness, headache, nausea, pulmonary edema, seizures, coma in humans. Acute exposure can also damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. The liquid is corrosive and may produce dermatitis from skin contact in humans and animals. Effects to the lungs, liver, spleen, and thyroid have been reported in animals chronically exposed to hydrazine via inhalation. Increased incidences of lung, nasal cavity, and liver tumors have been observed in rodents exposed to hydrazin

You got to it before i did. That sounds like some really nasty stuff...

reply to post by richierich931


Yeah, the few times we had an F-16 land with a fired EPU we all started swearing because it was such a pain to deal with. We just about had to set security around the plane to keep people away from it just to be safe.

The rocket fuel response is correct, as are the others regarding radioactivity picked up in space, and power source readouts. These craft are only used to determine whether its method of space flight can be used over and over again. It's fairly bare bones. Like an airplane with no pilot and one rocket engine strapped onto it. Once the means are discovered to carry out such a flight while not exceeding a particular budget, then other vehicles will be fitted with that same flight technology.

As for the meters, fumes/toxins, as well as electrical readouts are performed prior and post test flights to ensure that there is no excess being vented as well as doing an exterior check that when the fuel lines are taken out that the degaussing levels are working as intended. These are fields radiating out that enable the the craft to enter into stealth prior to entering an enemy radar's field of "view."

Another piece of equipment not shown in these photos is much like a laser that one of the officers will run along the sides searching for cracks or shifted plates that could possibly cause a very fatal scenario upon launch and/or descent.

Payload includes new transmitters that work very differently than on current jets and shuttle. Defensive countermeasures are too tightly under wraps so I can't help you there but rest assured, at least one is a very expensive satellite jammer and "decryption engine," that actually (no lie) works in a way that when enabled will try to hack into whatever is chosen. Whether to hide its presence or for malevolent intentions, I can't say.

In any case, this is the equivalent of the Wright brothers airplane when it comes to our (USA) nations future military space craft.

All the best to everyone~

I'm wondering about the stains on the cargo bay doors and part of the nose. Would appaer to have been created by a liquid of some sort

Thank you for this picture, and all of the following information from everyone! This is the most interesting technology to me, and I love reading about it here and other sites online. Space, the vehicles we have up in it, both man and unmanned, is what I love to hear about.

Anyway, I've followed the X-37B from the initial launch (which was aired on regular TV...think I saw it on CNN), and it amazes me that most people have no clue it exists.

I wish I could have been an astronaut, and I am really jealous of the young men and women being born today in such an exciting time. Yes, the shuttles being decommissioned was truly a sad day, but this is a bright spot. We all know it's being used for the military, but hopefully it can be used as a spring board for the true exploration of space and nearby systems...although, that's a long way away, I know.

Anyway, I would love to know the payloads, and read the mission reports of this beautiful bird. Very, very interesting.

i believe the hazmat suits are for hydrazine

The original X-37 was to feature an AR-2/3 engine for maneuvering and deorbiting, which uses Hydrogen Peroxide and JP-8 as oxidizer and fuel. Later the propulsion system has been changed to a hypergolic nitrogen tetroxide / hydrazine version with a robust propellant load for maneuvering in space and for the deorbit burn.

reply to post by tpsreporter


Q: "Why the Bio-Hazard Suits near the X-37B?"
A: "Zombie virus from space?"

I mean, there's always hope, right?



S+F

reply to post by mikellmikell


It could be seepage from the OMS engines. It may be that not all the Hydrazine evaporated when the engines fired. Or a little bit pooled in the engine and leaked out after it reentered. It's very corrosive and will stain something.

reply to post by tpsreporter


Maybe ET on board cannot be exposed to EA*RTH species man direct. Other wise there may be some radiation causing agents or sever bio agents on board. Those are some cool little crafts.