OK WTF is this? No Space Shuttle, but secret AF robotic shuttle?

[CrusaderFrank]

Secret X-37B Robot Space Plane Mission a Success: USAF | Space.com

"The U.S. Air Force's secretive robotic X-37B space plane mission continues to chalk up time in Earth orbit, nearing 430 days of a spaceflight that — while classified — appears to be an unqualified success."

I can't even make a guess that won't have me visited by the FBI.

WTF is this about?

 

[Mr. H.]

It's bigger than a 2012 RAM 3500!

I'm tempted to buy the Star Trek pizza cutter.

 

[Douger]

Recolonization
How many people really disappear every year? - Yahoo! Answers

 

[ScienceRocks]

Wow, cool.

I'm glad that Obama is still allowing the military to develop space tech. 450 days in space for a space shuttle!

 

[ScienceRocks]

Boeing X-37 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[ScienceRocks]

X-37CIn 2011, Boeing announced plans for a scaled-up variant of the X-37B, referring to the spacecraft as the X-37C. The size of the X-37C would be approximately 165 to 180% of the X-37B, allowing it to transport up to six astronauts inside a pressurized compartment housed in the cargo bay. The X-37C's proposed launch vehicle is the Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle.[54] X-37C may compete with Boeing's CST-100 commercial space capsule.[55]
Secretive X-37B US Space Plane Could Evolve to Carry Astronauts | Space Planes & Human Spaceflight | Air Force X-37B Program & X-37C Space Plane Designs | Space.com

X-37C: New space plane for astronauts

No new technology is required to build an X-37B customized to the space station cargo mission, Grantz said. The next step, he said, is a larger vehicle with significant cargo return capabilities for ISS Line Replaceable Units (LRU’s) and experiments requiring a low acceleration return to Earth.[Infographic: Inside the X-37B Space Plane]

Grantz explained that a variety of scaled-up versions of the X-37B space plane have been studied as potential vehicles to carry astronauts or cargo into low-Earth orbit. The studies include looks at transport methods for pressurized and unpressurized cargo transport to and from the space station, as well as future Bigelow space habitats or other forms of space tourism in low-Earth orbit.

The preferred size of these derivatives is approximately 165 to 180 percent of the current X-37B.

The larger X-37C has been blueprinted, sized to support around five to six astronauts with provisions for one that is injured and requires a stretcher.

According to designs in Grantz's paper for the Space 2011 conference, crew-carrying portion of a future X-37C type space vehicle would fly in a pressurized compartment that would fit into the payload bay of the spacecraft. The seats would be arranged along one side of the spacecraft to allow room for moving through the spacecraft in orbit and to provide the crew access to seats on the launch pad.

A hatch in the main body would be used to provide entry to the space plane on the ground, according to Grantz's paper.

Launched atop an Atlas Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, this spacecraft would be capable of rendezvous, docking, deorbiting, re-entering, and landing autonomously. But it could also include the ability of an onboard pilot to control the craft, Grantz said.

"Once qualified for human flight, these vehicles could transport a mix of astronauts and cargo to the ISS and offer a much gentler return to a runway landing for the space tourism industry," Grantz's report states.


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The six trillion dollar question is: Is it better then the space shuttle?

 

[Moonglow]

The ISS will also be the launch site of the Orion deep space vehicle. That is the new generation of NASA space exploration plans.
NASA is also building a new 600 billion dollar telescope that will replace the Hubble.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

So what the fuck?

Is it for reconnaissance? No

It's for astronauts and a cargo. Hmmm. And it's secret. Shhh. It's not a killer satellite, they don't need people.

What is it that needs people and cargo out in space?

 

[flacaltenn]

Too small for people. Life Support needs a bunch of space..

Shouldn't be doing this --- speculating.. But it's to bring back physical stuff. Maybe a garbage truck?

Or maybe parts from a broken Chinese probe?

Or maybe it's meeting up with the Romulan mother ship and delivering Romulan Take-Out to the Pentagon..


Anything else can be sensed, photographed or relayed by radio..

 

[ScienceRocks]

So what the fuck?

Is it for reconnaissance? No

It's for astronauts and a cargo. Hmmm. And it's secret. Shhh. It's not a killer satellite, they don't need people.

What is it that needs people and cargo out in space?

Most of the techecial advances that made us into the super power- we're today comes from our space program. Much of the advances of all empires from the Greek, Roman, British, etc came mostly from such wants to advance and to be the best. A human willingness to reach for knowledge.

Nasa is worth ten times as much dollar per dollar in the long term to us. What the fuck is the point if we're not going to push towards new idea's? Our military will become obsolete as China(india, russia) surpasses it as they wil. O'yes, they're now pushing forward with plans for space station, moon base, etc. We're either the best or someone else will be. We will become Mexico if this is the way you want it.

We must become a space faring civilization or we need to go back into the tree's. The first man that came out of the cave and smashed two rocks together to make sharp edges didn't think this way, thank god.

 

[RoadVirus]

So what the fuck?

Is it for reconnaissance? No

It's for astronauts and a cargo. Hmmm. And it's secret. Shhh. It's not a killer satellite, they don't need people.

What is it that needs people and cargo out in space?

Most of the techecial advances that made us into the super power- we're today comes from our space program. Much of the advances of all empires from the Greek, Roman, British, etc came mostly from such wants to advance and to be the best. A human willingness to reach for knowledge.

Nasa is worth ten times as much dollar per dollar in the long term to us. What the fuck is the point if we're not going to push towards new idea's? Our military will become obsolete as China(india, russia) surpasses it as they wil. O'yes, they're now pushing forward with plans for space station, moon base, etc. We're either the best or someone else will be. We will become Mexico if this is the way you want it.

We must become a space faring civilization or we need to go back into the tree's. The first man that came out of the cave and smashed two rocks together to make sharp edges didn't think this way, thank god.

Just relax. Some fools think we should scrap NASA and give their budget to welfare-collecting crackwhores.