X-37 successful launch!

For the full story, click here http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/23/341061/air-force-launches-us-militarys-first-spaceplane.html.

http://www.physorg.com/news191218075.html

This must be in response to the Space Shuttle's inevitable retirement. USAF won't trust the Russians with DOD payloads?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA-212

From what I've seen in the media about this, two of the prime concerns for the AF is the cost and ease of operation. If both these pan out then getting it to carry a crew module to the ISS in a civilian variant of the craft might well be a future option for the US.

Also if it could be possible to launch in a few days as the AF hope, it could act as an emergency support craft for ISS or a Biggelow station. It could carry emergency equipment or retrieve escape pods not designed for re-entry on their own.

Actually the more I think about it the more I think that something like an emergency service might be required to support commercial stations and craft. A vehicle like the X-37 which is envisaged to be able to launch on need quickly in a number of different roles could fulfill this requirement. A future international collaboration using the X-37, different emergency modules and a mini robotic arm to capture pods or equipment on orbit could be good for commercial space. Government has traditionally served this role on Earth it makes sense for them to continue in space.

Ha, so you're expecting one decked out in the colours of the US Coast Guard? Not such a crazy idea actually. It would only make sense if the stations had life boats that couldn't land. The ISS has a Soyuz as a life boat, which will get the crew down in an hour or so in an emergency. That's still much less than the turnaround time of the X-37. But you might imagine Bigelow having a bunch of inflatable escape pods similar to the 1 m diameter balls that NASA has or had, but bigger so that people can survive for a few days. Those'll burn up on re-entry, so you'll need something to get the people down. Something akin to X-37 might work.

We'll have to see first if the re-entry goes well though. Essentially all they've done so far is launched a satellite that happens to have wings.

An intensive care facility to get an injured crew member back to Earth might be required or maybe something like an auxillary power unit if the ISS suffered a major electrical problem.

An Earth Orbit Ambulance... interesting! I hadn't thought of that but it sounds plausable.

Would it be easily converted into a manned craft? Or at least able to carry passengers?

I could see the X-37, or whatever comes out of the X-37 tests, playing multiple roles as a sort of "general purpose" spacecraft. (Bringing DOD experiments, payloads and sensors to orbit; emergency vehicle; passenger vehicle to bring military personel to space stations; maybe even a weapon to use against enemy sattelites?) The X-37 must be more like the concept vehicle, whatever come from these tests might be bigger/better! I'm excieted to see where this goes!

Does anyone know if it is landing at Vandenberg or Edwards? Or perhaps when?

This article mentions the possible need for an Orbital Coast Gaurd.

http://www.i-newswire.com/dser-comments ... zing/38438

Its orbit has been tracked so you can have a go spotting it if you have the kit. :-

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/05/24 ... _in_orbit/

Amateur skywatchers spot secret space plane

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37303712/ns ... ?GT1=43001

Does anyone have any recent news about the X-37? I haven't heard anything new in months.

I guess this doesn't have to mean anything, but http://www.heavens-above.com/ still has it listed.

But of course maybe that's just old data based on the first sightings, the Air Force could have changed it's orbit already.

It has already changed orbit once, correct?

They did it again
http://spacefellowship.com/news/art2306 ... again.html