Mysterious mini shuttle on track for Tuesday launc...: The Air Force
is set to launch its second X-37B mini shuttle to space, which has
rival nations and space buffs wondering what it is the craft does,
exactly. By Todd Halvorson and Tim Walters Posted Dec. 7, 2012
An Atlas V rocket is poised for launch on its Cape Canaveral pad today, but the forecast for the planned launch Tuesday of a military mini-shuttle is not favorable.
The United Launch Alliance rocket and an Air Force X-37B spacecraft are scheduled to blast off at 1:03 p.m. Tuesday at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Launch Complex 41. [snip]
Mounted atop a mobile launch platform, the Atlas V and its payload
moved out of its 30-story assembly building today and made the
1,800-foot trip to the launch pad along rail tracks. Two specially
designed “trackmobiles” transported the rocket to the pad.
The launch of the X-37B will be the first re-flight of one of the experimental spaceplanes. The vehicle was launched in April 2010 on a 224-day technology demonstration mission, the exact nature of which remains classified.
A second X-37B spacecraft launched in March 2011 and flew a 469-day mission.
The
X-37B is capable of autonomous atmospheric reentry and landing, and the
first two missions concluded on a runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base
in California. (continue at Florida Today)
.
I would love to see this baby close up! Cool!
Posted by: Leticia | December 10, 2012 at 08:24 PM
At least this baby can't be captured by the Iranians!
Has NASA and the USAF forgotten to add a "on command destruct" capability to it's drones??
469 day mission that's pretty dang good! Yes Virginia, we are still the United States!
Posted by: (Rhino!) CBPO Jon A Underwood, CBP, Ret. | December 11, 2012 at 08:00 AM
It's comforting to know that our R & D is still capable of producing ordinance to protect and defend...
Now, where do we find the mature voters to provide essential leadership? - reb
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Posted by: Snake Hunter Sez, | December 11, 2012 at 10:46 AM
The Space Shuttle was originally a military concept anyway. The USAF wanted a smaller shuttle, along the lines of the Dynasoar project. Now, the Shuttle is no longer flying and the X-37B seems more like an unmanned version of the Dynasoar than a smaller Shuttle. Might explain a lot...
Posted by: R.J. Godlewski | December 11, 2012 at 01:32 PM
Thanks everyone. It is good to know that the government can keep something secret these days. The mission has not been leaked yet.
Posted by: Debbie | December 11, 2012 at 02:52 PM