X-37b UMV
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Boeing has successfully returned an unmanned U.S. Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle to orbit, continuing to demonstrate how the system provides responsive, reusable access to space. An Atlas V rocket launched OTV-1, the first of two vehicles in the program, into a low Earth orbit at 1:03 p.m.
Boeing's Reusable, Unmanned X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Begins Second Flight
Boeing X-37B Completes 469 Day Orbital Mission (With Video) "Boeing today announced the successful de-orbit and landing of the second X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) for the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. The X-37B landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:48 a.m. Pacific time today, concluding a 469-day experimental test mission. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on March 5, 2011."
Second X-37B Mission Ends - NASA Watch
Super Secret U.S Space Plane Powered By Solar Energy by Energy Matters Not a lot is known about the U.S. government's X-37B space plane or its missions - but we do know it draws its power while in orbit from the sun via solar panels.
Super Secret U.S Space Plane Powered By Solar Energy : Renewable Energy News :
Boeing X-37
Secretive X-37B is launched for a third classified mission around the planet December 11, 2012 Posted by Richard Clements in : Space , Dec. 11 saw the third launch of Boeing’s X-37B, the unmanned, reusable, mini-shuttle orbiter.
Marcia S. Smith The Air Force's X-37B spaceplane is headed back to Earth in the next few days or weeks after more than a year in orbit. What X-37B has been doing is unknown -- except in classified circles.
Secretive Military X-37B Spaceplane Headed Back to Earth
The United Space Alliance by Lockheed-Martin and Boeing for human launch, and the X-37B
The United Launch Alliance is a partnership of multiple American companies producing (1) rockets and/or (2) manned capsules. It is largely a response to the retirement of the Space Shuttle (planned at the time), which leaves America with no human launch capability, whereby NASA has subsidized the most promising alternative human launch systems in a diversified way. One of the ideas of the United Launch Alliance is that once company's rocket can launch another company's manned capsule, interchangably. The core of the United Launch Alliance is the old giants Boeing and Lockheed-Martin.
The Boeing X-37, also called the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), is an unmanned American spacecraft. Its first orbital mission was on 22 April 2010 returning back to Earth on 3 December 2010. A second X-37 was launched on 5 March 2011 and has not yet returned to Earth at time of writing (23 April 2012) spending over a year in space. The United States Air Force (USAF) described the mission as classified and limited details have been released on why the craft was launched, what the payload is onboard and future uses of the craft.
x-37: More secrets of the Pentagon's spaceship | Astronotes
U.S.SECRET AIR FORCE X-37B SPACE PLANE IS A ‘SPECTACULAR SUCCESS’ « Världsinbördeskriget
Fox News on May 8, 2012, published a Space.com report on the U.S. Air Force’s secretive robotic X-37B space plane mission continuing to chalk up time in Earth orbit, nearing 430 days of a spaceflight that — while classified — appears to be an unqualified success. The space plane now circuiting Earth is the second spacecraft of its kind built for the Air Force by Boeing’s Phantom Works. Known as the Orbital Test Vehicle 2, or OTV-2, the space plane’s classified mission is being carried out by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. The robotic X-37B space plane is a reusable spacecraft that resembles a miniature space shuttle.
Andrew Erickson and Gabe Collins, “ Shenlong ‘Divine Dragon’ Takes Flight: Is China developing its first spaceplane? ” China SignPost ™ (洞察中国), No. 58 (4 May 2012). China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #58–“Shenlong ‘Divine Dragon’ Takes Flight: Is China developing its first spaceplane?” | Andrew S. Erickson
Built partly by workers in Seal Beach, the unmanned space plane has been in orbit for more than five months longer than originally expected and is earning Air Force praise. Boeing X-37b Seal Beach aerospace workers can give themselves a little pat on the back. The unmanned space plane X-37B, built, in part, by workers at Boeing ’s Seal Beach plant, is a “spectacular success.” However, no one will say what the space plane’s top-secret mission is. General William Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command, recently admitted that the Air Force is very happy with the new plane:
Boeing X-37B Unmanned Space Vehicle a ‘Spectacular Success’ | Unmanned Space Systems (USS) News | Unmanned.co.uk
Spaceplane Development Becomes a New Dimension of Emerging U.S.-China Space Competition | China SignPost™ 洞察中国
Posted: 17. Aug, 2012 Last update: 17. Aug, 2012 Andrew Erickson and Gabe Collins, “ Spaceplane Development Becomes a New Dimension of Emerging U.S.The U.S. military's hush-hush robotic X-37B space plane is slated to blast off again next month, Air Force officials say. The mission will test the robotic spacecraft's reusability and may eventually land on the Florida runway once used for NASA space shuttles. The X-37B space plane 's next mission — called Orbital Test Vehicle-3, or OTV-3, because it is the program's third-ever spaceflight — is scheduled to launch aboard an Atlas 5 rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) sometime in October.