Air Force's mysterious space plane nears 1 year In orbit

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[SPQR]

[flowers]

I have been following this story. I am glad you posted. What do you think it has been doing for a year?

[xfreeper]

I have been following this story. I am glad you posted. What do you think it has been doing for a year?

waiting for someone to figure out how to get it down in one piece

[flowers]

waiting for someone to figure out how to get it down in one piece

[Chieftain]

I have been following this story. I am glad you posted. What do you think it has been doing for a year?

Outstanding surveillance platform.  It's been up for a year but we don't know what kind of orbital maneuvers they have been developing with it.  I suspect it is nimble enough to be overhead any trouble spot on the planet within a couple of orbits, and we don't know the apogee or perigee change capabilities it has.  I'm pretty sure the only reason they would need to de-orbit would be to replenish consumables.

I can think of a whole bunch of interesting things to do with a vehicle like this one in orbit for a year. 

[SPQR]

Outstanding surveillance platform.  It's been up for a year but we don't know what kind of orbital maneuvers they have been developing with it.  I suspect it is nimble enough to be overhead any trouble spot on the planet within a couple of orbits, and we don't know the apogee or perigee change capabilities it has.  I'm pretty sure the only reason they would need to de-orbit would be to replenish consumables.

I can think of a whole bunch of interesting things to do with a vehicle like this one in orbit for a year.

 

In 2011, Boeing announced plans for a scaled-up variant of the X-37B, referring to the spacecraft as the X-37C. The X-37C is between 165% and 180% larger than the X-37B, allowing it to transport up to six astronauts inside a pressurized compartment housed in the cargo bay. Its proposed launch vehicle is the Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle

[SPQR]

waiting for someone to figure out how to get it down in one piece

They have successfully landed the X-37 on several occasions. A second X-37 was launched in March 2011, with the mission designation USA-226; it returned to Earth on 16 June 2012. A third X-37 mission, USA-240, launched successfully in December 2012 The landing spot is at Vandenberg AFB where several years ago they built a runway for the X-37

[SPQR]

Three landing sites. Vandenberg AFB,Edwards AFB and Cape Kennedy. Vandenberg AFB does have a landing runway that it built for the plane.

http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123304066

Edwards AFB is used as an alternate site

[Chieftain]

In 2011, Boeing announced plans for a scaled-up variant of the X-37B, referring to the spacecraft as the X-37C. The X-37C is between 165% and 180% larger than the X-37B, allowing it to transport up to six astronauts inside a pressurized compartment housed in the cargo bay. Its proposed launch vehicle is the Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle

That's exactly the kind of capabilities we need to be developing too...

[SPQR]

[xfreeper]

They have successfully landed the X-37 on several occasions. A second X-37 was launched in March 2011, with the mission designation USA-226; it returned to Earth on 16 June 2012. A third X-37 mission, USA-240, launched successfully in December 2012 The landing spot is at Vandenberg AFB where several years ago they built a runway for the X-37

Yes, it's this one that is stranded

[SPQR]

Yes, it's this one that is stranded

Where is the article does it say its stranded? I want you to point it out in the article.It just says where they are planning to land the plane.

[SPQR]

[xfreeper]

Where is the article does it say its stranded? I want you to point it out in the article.It just says where they are planning to land the plane.

I'd show you but then I would have to kill you

[SPQR]

I'd show you but then I would have to kill you

Because it does not exist

[xfreeper]

yes, that is safer

[SPQR]

yes, that is safer

You still did not answer

[xfreeper]

what was the question again?

[SPQR]

what was the question again?

Troll.

[xfreeper]

humorless

[Oceander]

Calm down folks; there aren't any trolls on this thread.

[SPQR]

Calm down folks; there aren't any trolls on this thread.

OK.

[Oceander]

OK.

[xfreeper]