X-37B lands after 719 days

a reply to: Zaphod58

im sure they can flip out a experiment, sensors, manufacturing processes or experimental propulsion

Maybe they were planting remote explosives on chinese,russian,iranian,and NK satellites in case they have to take them out.

a reply to: yuppa

Dont need to. There's no attenuation above the atmosphere. Just need to be able to focus at the needs distances.

a reply to: Bhadhidar

Wrong way thinking.

Keeping human contamination off the craft. Not the other way round.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: grey580

This mission mounted ion thrusters for their first space flight on one of the craft.

eBay?

...........The X-37B mission...

was probably more than testing ion thrusters...

I bet they were in a real-time, 'dodge-ball' type of exercise in tracking then eluding all that random Space-Junk
and micro-meteors...

I bet the craft also pilots itself and is not relegated to 'Orbit' travel... a real 'Buck Rogers Space Rocket'


those APU's gotta use a highly advanced Fuel Cell of some sort... perhaps even a mini breeder reactor as big as a dish-washer

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

No, because, like the shuttle, there is hydrazine venting from the APU after landing.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Oops! Sorry then!

I thought hydrazine was passé on the X37. Don't know any better.

Do you think we can make a manned orbit capable fighter?

Ask Richard Branson with Spaceship One and Two..

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Hydrazine is one of those never damned enough substances that is almost perfect for what it's used for.

a reply to: cavtrooper7
A robotic space fighter is better, no limit with a human physic. " The orbiters "perform risk reduction, experimentation and concept-of-operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies," the Air Force has said without providing details. The cost of the program is also classified." May be for instance its a X-37 but in near futur may be it will become a F-37.

originally posted by: darksidius
a reply to: cavtrooper7
A robotic space fighter is better, no limit with a human physic. " The orbiters "perform risk reduction, experimentation and concept-of-operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies," the Air Force has said without providing details. The cost of the program is also classified." May be for instance its a X-37 but in near futur may be it will become a F-37.

I wonder if the ultimate goal is to have one in orbit at all times for ready use.

and I wonder what that use might be

a reply to: ElGoobero

They far too small for much. Their actual mission is so routine and boring it's usually ignored when brought up.

a reply to: darksidius
They have had ASATs since about 1984..Think it was F15s that first trialed them..

GBP/JPY, what is your sighting ? I don't understand what you are talking about , triangular , bat shape objects ?

Landing video

a reply to: intrptr

those probably have proximity fuses installed, you can´t just grab them. Blinding lenses and jamming antennas however...

My two pennies prior to reading thread!

Was it really secret, and why?

What was it's mission, real mission? Does the fact it was unmanned give any clues?

a reply to: RP2SticksOfDynamite

Yes, what it's doing is secret. The fact that it's unmanned means it can stay in orbit for years doing it, as we've already seen. It's not anything earth shattering, but will be invaluable in several fields.