X-37b moves into big brother's old digs

NASA has signed into an official agreement that the Air Force's X-37b program will move into Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) Bays 1 and 2 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This will allow the Air Force to more efficiently prep and process the X-37b for flight and post flight operations.
Boeing made the announcement on Jan 3 that it wanted to convert OPF-1 to process the X-37. It was only as of this week that the agreement came to fruition for Boeing and the Air Force.

The OPF bays were built for use as space shuttle hangars, where NASA’s fleet of orbiters would undergo maintenance between flights. Bays 1 and 2 are connected, and OPF-3 is located just across the street. The facilities haven’t been used since the shuttles were moved to their new homes at museums and tourist destinations. According to the press release, NASA “currently does not have a mission requirement for the facilities” and thus the agreement “ensures the facilities will again be used for their originally-intended purpose — processing spacecraft.”

The bays will undergo renovations for the program, which are due to be completed in December of this year.

The X-37B OTV itself is a reusable unmanned spacecraft made to enter space aboard a rocket, specifically an Atlas V 501 booster, and then return to Earth and land as a space plane. It is about one-fourth the size of NASA’s space shuttle with a similar landing profile.

I think it is nice to see the facilities being utilized once again, this time by the Shuttles little brother.



www.spaceflightinsider.com...

uncovercalifornia.com...

Since I mentioned the Shuttle in here, here's a un-relates Shuttle nugget for y'all:

a reply to: Sammamishman

I like that size graphic you provided. Of course now it will be harder to keep quiet whenever they launch one. But I'm a tad worried about it's glide path for landing. Unless they keep landing it in the desert and bring it back by aircraft or truck.

Wouldn't that be something to see on the road? I'd probably get lost just following the truck going Oooo....Ahhhh! the entire time.

a reply to: TDawgRex

Oh, that would be a spectacle to see for sure. Unfortunately they could probably just stuff it in the back of a C5 and fly it back.
They will probably just land it back at the Cape anyway though since the Shuttle did most of the time.

a reply to: TDawgRex

I see planes and helicopters on the back of trailers all the time. This wouldn't be anything new.

a reply to: TDawgRex

The don't keep quiet when they launch one. None of the previous X-37 launches have been unannounced. Previous landings took place at Vandenberg Air Force Base (not someplace in the desert), but they have been planning to recover future missions at the old Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. This will save significant time and costs involved with recycling the spacecraft for its next mission.

originally posted by: Shadowhawk
a reply to: TDawgRex

The don't keep quiet when they launch one. None of the previous X-37 launches have been unannounced. Previous landings took place at Vandenberg Air Force Base (not someplace in the desert), but they have been planning to recover future missions at the old Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. This will save significant time and costs involved with recycling the spacecraft for its next mission.

Yeah the only thing classified about it is what it is doing up there. Hopefully we will know something concrete someday

a reply to: boomer135

I thought the X37B's current mission was already discussed or disclosed in a few of the threads here at ATS? I could have been mistaken. I dunno maybe I should get myself a better pair of eyeglasses or check my readers prescription and see if I need a newer one.

Anyways, If it hasn't been discussed yet then I guess now would be a good time for me to shut up. (although I think there are plenty of hints on the various threads here if people want to take the time to go back and re-read hundreds of pages of posts in the various forums.)

Hopefully we will hear something more concrete in the future when it's current mission is declassified.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

It's been discussed, but since there's nothing official, we don't know how right we are.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Right on Zaph. Will be interesting to see how accurate ATS is/was or not in regards to many hopefully soon to be Semi-declassified projects.

I bet many will discover that the aviation forum here thanks to excellent leadership and quality posters/members is of very high value.

Hope you're doing well. Works been kicking my ass lately. I need a vacation. Any luck convincing the folks that fly the Green lady to drop me off in Bali on their way back outbound next time? I'm willing to parachute out, they don't need to land. just open the bay doors and release me. I'm willing to buy ya beer of your choosing next time your in LA if you can even drop the idea on them folks for me. Seriously I can't afford airfare and anything helps. I'll even buy everyone involved a souvenier from some tiki looking shack on the beach in nusa dua.

a reply to: BASSPLYR


Be sure to ask them to slow down first before they drop you out the bottom.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Yeah, it's been discussed. I've been meaning to reflect on some of those threads for some time.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

I see what you did there!