New USAF Spacecraft flies to orbit 4/19

[MANT!]

See the following..

http://www.military.com/news/articl...ged-space-plane.html?wh=news&ESRC=airforce.nl


Maybe, this was one of the new technologies Obama dumped the Orion project for?

As NASA anticipated the end of the shuttle, the X-37B was viewed as a working prototype of the next-generation design of a fully reusable spacecraft, but the space agency lost interest and the Air Force picked it up, Wilson said.
"It's viewed as a prototype of a vehicle that could carry small payloads into orbit, carry out a variety of military missions and then return to Earth," he said.
The Air Force statement said the X-37 program is being used "to continue full-scale development" and orbital testing of a long-duration, reusable space vehicle.

He acknowledged that he does not know if there is a classified portion of the program but said there is no evidence of a second vehicle being built to follow the prototype. In aerospace, a prototype typically remains a test vehicle used to prove and improve designs for successive operational vehicles.

To fully function as a completely reusable launch system there would also have to be development of a booster rocket that is capable of landing itself back on Earth to be reassembled with the spacecraft, according to Wilson, who does not see any support for such an initiative.

Any Ideas?

 

[clint g]

Honestly, I always felt as if the military would be the best place to build up space exploration. The military has the money, resources, and incentive to advance space technology. NASA only really has the incentive.

 

[TheMasterOfOrion]

payload looks too small All truck and no trailer

 

[Mysterion]

Honestly, I always felt as if the military would be the best place to build up space exploration. The military has the money, resources, and incentive to advance space technology. NASA only really has the incentive.

Agreed. Imagine if Eisenhower has established the United States Space force back in '57 instead of NASA.

 

[Lindley]

True. For all it sounds nice to keep space demilitarized, we would have gotten a lot further by now if there were a decent arms race in play.....

 

[CuttingEdge100]

This vehicle is unmanned right? Why do I have this distinct feeling that this device will be used to put loads of surveillance satellites into orbit which will be used to spy on Americans?

Hope I don't get a heart-attack, disappear mysteriously, contract some mysterious and/or incurable disease, die suspiciously, or end up arrested on bogus charges or something for saying this

 

[RobertVA]

This vehicle is unmanned right? Why do I have this distinct feeling that this device will be used to put loads of surveillance satellites into orbit which will be used to spy on Americans?

Hope I don't get a heart-attack, disappear mysteriously, contract some mysterious and/or incurable disease, die suspiciously, or end up arrested on bogus charges or something for saying this

With any kind of manned or unmanned spacecraft weight is a very important factor. Many unmanned satellites need an aerodynamic shell to protect them from the supersonic airflow during the launch. A simple aluminum or composite cover has to be a lot lighter than the miniature shuttle I've seen in photographs of the X37B. The lighter weight of a simple shell would allow the booster to lift a heavier satellite.

Digital photography coupled with some onboard storage (a flash drive or hard disk), possibly coupled with delayed transmission to a ground station should make the return of old fashion film unnecessary as well.

I'm having trouble seeing where this device would be any better for reconnaissance/surveillance or communications than the expendable satellites and launch enclosures the defense department (and any intelligence agencies they are supporting) has been using for several decades.

Perhaps the vehicle will be carrying some new sample materials to determine how well they would withstand being used on some future military or intelligence satellite.

 

[Jetfire]

This vehicle is unmanned right? Why do I have this distinct feeling that this device will be used to put loads of surveillance satellites into orbit which will be used to spy on Americans?

Hope I don't get a heart-attack, disappear mysteriously, contract some mysterious and/or incurable disease, die suspiciously, or end up arrested on bogus charges or something for saying this

Shhh! Keep saying things like this and you will end up as the payload.

Are we being attacked? What would be the point of military in space? We the people can further space exploration if the government stays out the way. All it would take is one company to become a success with space tourism or mining and BOOM! Everyone will try to get a space start up going.

 

[STR]

Why do I have this distinct feeling that this device will be used to put loads of surveillance satellites into orbit which will be used to spy on Americans?

To put it bluntly, it's because you're paranoid.

 

[ALF]

^^ Don't you fret.

There's no military surveillance that can withstand the might of

Spoiler: track cloaking

two rolls of aluminum foil!

 

[Amaris]

This looks interesting. I'm curious as to it's purpose, but it's still nice to see space technology continue to be explored, even after NASA has to scrap the Space Program for now. Personally, I can't wait for commercial uses for space technology, particularly travel halfway around the globe in under 45 minutes.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

I don't think it's a good idea to militarize space...

 

[publiusr]

I don't have any problems with the military as a whole--it's the USAF I can't stand.

if you are a space advocate in the Pentagon, you are somewhere below the janitor. Fighter Jocks run the USAF, and they have ruined spaceflight.

Before NASA, US missile programs were pretty much Army based (ABMA) The Blue Suits robbed missiles from the Army-where the soviet bases had artillery men behind them up until recently.

NASA/ABMA folks wanted Saturn IB. USAF wanted Titan III.
Guess who got what they wanted

Griffin, who wrote a textbook on spaceflight wanted Ares.
The USAF wanted EELVs.

Guess who got what they wanted.

Griffins merits:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Griffin

http://obamanasa.uservoice.com/foru...99437-mike-griffin-bs-ms-phd-meng-ms-mba-meng-


Top mount spaceplanes impart pitch loads and bending moments. This is why this vehicle had to be encased in a shroud/fairing. Capsules to their credit, allow axial loads

According to Russ Hannigans book SPACEFLIGHT IN THE ERA OF AEROSPACEPLANES, small spaceplanes are liable to weight creep, and the wing weight eats into payload. the DIRECT launcher might be the best choice for something like the Orbital Space Plane.

I like the Buran myself, but in lieu of that, the Orion capsule is more useful--and capsules are also better at surviving high heat coming back from the moon, say--than a spaceplane whose wings would be melted off.

As far as lifting bodies are concerned--just watch the opening credits of THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN for what can happen to them.

Misc.
http://nasawatch.com/archives/2009/07/sidemount-hlv-new-ways-to-resupply-the-space-station.html


Unmanned military spaceplanes will most likely be used to "inspect' threat nation satellites. A winged aircraft can dip into the atmosphere a bit, then skip off to a different orbit--use cold gas thrusters to get near another space asset to inspect or cripple it. At least large HLLV launched laser battlestations could be used one day for laser propulsion, or perhaps to lase asteroids so as to cause a jet of material to perform. Large HLLVs will be needed for simpler Space Based Solar powersats, large space based radars, etc--as I have advocated across many forums.

USAF mini-spaceplanes might be a return of the types of missions Dyna Soar was going to undertake--even though--mass-wise, the Gemini was better suited.

http://www.deepcold.com/

Good aerospace resource site
http://www.up-ship.com/

 

[ALF]

I don't think it's a good idea to militarize space...

I disagree. We should bring freedom and democracy to all the citizens of space. With force if needed (hopefully).

 

[clint g]

I don't think it's a good idea to militarize space...

It all depends on how quickly you want space exploration to explore Right now, the only organization that can really benefit from space exploration is the military

 

[diankra]

I don't think it's a good idea to militarize space...

It all depends on how quickly you want space exploration to explore Right now, the only organization that can really benefit from space exploration is the military

That is, perhaps, the only good reason to be happy about the slow pace of space exploration. I'd sooner have space expansion not happen in my lifetime than have us export our wars into space.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Still, I think it's bad for space to be militarized

 

[clint g]

I don't think it's a good idea to militarize space...

It all depends on how quickly you want space exploration to explore Right now, the only organization that can really benefit from space exploration is the military

That is, perhaps, the only good reason to be happy about the slow pace of space exploration. I'd sooner have space expansion not happen in my lifetime than have us export our wars into space.

I do not agree

Still, I think it's bad for space to be militarized

I never really got this mindset. War is going to happen regardless. Whether it happens on the ground or in space makes no difference

 

[Crazy Eddie]

This vehicle is unmanned right? Why do I have this distinct feeling that this device will be used to put loads of surveillance satellites into orbit which will be used to spy on Americans?

Why in the world would you want to launch a fifty million dollar satellite to spy on Americans? That's like me buying a Blackhawk helicopter just so I can fly my kids to school.

 

[Amaris]

This vehicle is unmanned right? Why do I have this distinct feeling that this device will be used to put loads of surveillance satellites into orbit which will be used to spy on Americans?

Why in the world would you want to launch a fifty million dollar satellite to spy on Americans? That's like me buying a Blackhawk helicopter just so I can fly my kids to school.

You've got to admit, that would be awesome.