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Posted: 10/17/2014 9:34:37 PM EDT
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/military-space-plane-lands-after-secret-mision/
An unpiloted Air Force space plane glided back to Earth Friday after a record 674-day stay in orbit, closing out a clandestine military mission with a computer-controlled landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
The Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, wrapping up its second long-duration mission and the secretive program's third flight overall, touched down at 12:24 p.m. EDT (GMT-4; 9:24 a.m. local time), rolling to a stop a few moments later. Other than a brief Air Force statement last Friday announcing landing preparations at Vandenberg, there was no advance warning of the space plane's re-entry and, in keeping with the secrecy surrounding the program, no details on what the spacecraft might have been doing during its nearly two years aloft. View Quote I searched. space, secret and plane |
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Secret squirrel stuff.
Shhhh.... Dr. Evil's mini space shuttle....wahahahhahah |
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It heard about the Ebola and turned right around and flew back up to space.
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Finally, a vehicle with enough delta-v to make sudden un-announced orbital alterations and send our enemies a
SURPRISE, COCKFAGS!! |
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22 months - Damn...
That's a LOT of sneaking around up there! |
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Nope. I reckon there's likely more stuff up there, several generations newer. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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You reckon there is one up there at all times? Nope. I reckon there's likely more stuff up there, several generations newer. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Several generations? How many, three, four? If there are other newer vehicles in orbit, why would we fly X-37's? What is the age of the X-37? There are two active X-37's flying. I expect this one is going to need an overhaul after its long trip. |
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The real special thing it does is NOT going to LEO or staying up for 674 days, other satellites do that and more.
The real special thing is that it comes down and lands intact. I still can't figure out why that is, I wonder what it brings down intact that is worth all of the money they spend on it? |
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I wonder if it's like a 21st century Operation Chrome Dome.
An ARFcomer probably mans the door gun. |
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Be kinda funny if it just just epic level trolling.
Send a space drone out for 2 years then make it seem like it was doing something super secret squirrel. |
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Yep. New generation cameras and other spook gear. Refit it, add some new goodies, refuel it, and send it back up. Add a new weapon that doesn't violate any existing treaty and try it out on some existing space junk. Can we man it, cool. Hunter killer teams won't be far behind. There is a New Frontier awaiting. |
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The real special thing it does is NOT going to LEO or staying up for 674 days, other satellites do that and more. The real special thing is that it comes down and lands intact. I still can't figure out why that is, I wonder what it brings down intact that is worth all of the money they spend on it? View Quote Something that cannot be transmitted as electronic data, perhaps. It's easy to envision physical samples of something or other needing analysis. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Several generations? How many, three, four? If there are other newer vehicles in orbit, why would we fly X-37's? What is the age of the X-37? There are two active X-37's flying. I expect this one is going to need an overhaul after its long trip. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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You reckon there is one up there at all times? Nope. I reckon there's likely more stuff up there, several generations newer. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Several generations? How many, three, four? If there are other newer vehicles in orbit, why would we fly X-37's? What is the age of the X-37? There are two active X-37's flying. I expect this one is going to need an overhaul after its long trip. I was actually being facetious, but do realize that the actual capabilities are not in the public domain. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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It wasn't circling the globe for funzies. I'm also going with satellite that can land (and therefore be upgraded for changing missions).
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Something that cannot be transmitted as electronic data, perhaps. It's easy to envision physical samples of something or other needing analysis. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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The real special thing it does is NOT going to LEO or staying up for 674 days, other satellites do that and more. The real special thing is that it comes down and lands intact. I still can't figure out why that is, I wonder what it brings down intact that is worth all of the money they spend on it? Something that cannot be transmitted as electronic data, perhaps. It's easy to envision physical samples of something or other needing analysis. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I have to wonder whether the return payload is data accumulated and stored for security, instead of transmitting it to the surface. If the X-37's are sweeping the surface with radar or lasers, we would know about it, unless the targets don't want to disclose that they know that we know. In any case, I don't know what it's up to. |
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I have to wonder whether the return payload is data accumulated and stored for security, instead of transmitting it to the surface. If the X-37's are sweeping the surface with radar or lasers, we would know about it, unless the targets don't want to disclose that they know that we know. In any case, I don't know what it's up to. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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The real special thing it does is NOT going to LEO or staying up for 674 days, other satellites do that and more. The real special thing is that it comes down and lands intact. I still can't figure out why that is, I wonder what it brings down intact that is worth all of the money they spend on it? Something that cannot be transmitted as electronic data, perhaps. It's easy to envision physical samples of something or other needing analysis. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I have to wonder whether the return payload is data accumulated and stored for security, instead of transmitting it to the surface. If the X-37's are sweeping the surface with radar or lasers, we would know about it, unless the targets don't want to disclose that they know that we know. In any case, I don't know what it's up to. Unless it behaves like that Russian satellite that dumped its payload somewhere over the Midwest, security of data could be a legitimate reason to physically return. A signal not transmitted is a signal not intercepted. |
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NSA has had a good 22 months to gather more information on Americans
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IIRC, there are plans for a possible manned C model View Quote I don't see this happening. What use will it be? Unmanned spacecraft can, and already are, performing long duration reconnaissance missions. Why have a crew that would limit a mission because of human biological needs? Or deliver a very small group of elite soldiers? To where? The X37B or C would need a long runway, and once it's down, it can't take off again. It requires special handling once its touched down. Weapons delivery? Nothing a ballistic or cruise missile can't do cheaper. Boeing - which made the X37Bs - already won the NASA contract for building the CST-100. If the military needs to put men in space, they can use that. The cost to build a new manned spacecraft would be in the billions. I doubt the USAF has the funds for that. As much as I think a manned military space plane would be cool, I don't see the mission for one. Not for the cost it would entail. Interesting X37B fact: The two X37Bs have already flown more days in space than all of the 135 space shuttle missions combined, 1,367 days compared to 1,334. |
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