The little craft was launched last year and stayed in orbit for 244 days, before being ordered to return to the Earth in December. What makes this a cool craft is that it is not controlled from the ground via joy-stick but rather has a large and complex set of commands.
For instance when it is time to return to the Earth, the controllers just send the command. The X-37 then notes its position, the position of the designated landing field and then makes all the calculations for a deorbit maneuver itself. It then fires retro’s, and handles its landing, up to and including touch down. Just in case anyone is worried the craft transmit telemetry data that allows ground safety offices to control it if need by after is has the airport in sight.
There is a lot talk about just what the Air Force is doing with this 29 foot long by 9 foot high reusable orbiter. As you can see from the diagram it has cargo capacity and could hold just about anything from a weapon to a satellite.
From the L.A. Timesarticle on the launch:
"It's a mystery, because the Air Force is being so closed-mouthed about the program," said Brian Weeden, a former Air Force officer and expert in space security. "It leads people to say, 'What exactly are they hiding?'"
Air Force officials have offered few details beyond saying the experimental space plane provides a way to test new technologies in outer space, such as satellite sensors and other components.
"It's a classified mission," said Maj. Tracy A. Bunko, an Air Force spokeswoman. The spacecraft will be carrying "reusable technologies for America's future in space and operating experiments, which can then be returned to and examined on Earth."
Other than the fact that is it the military and they are being close lipped about the purpose of this mission there really is no need to jump to a nefarious conclusion. After all the significant number of “secret” shuttle missions in the Reagan era where later found to be putting up the GPS satellite constellation. It is entirely possible that this is something along those lines.
Of course if you want to fun conspiracy theory, this vessel with it long flight time and its ability to place and then reposition objects in orbit would be the ideal thing to put up “Thor” bundles.
The idea behind “Thor” it to put some heavy object into orbit that have deorbit, basic target seeking and steering abilities. Then when you want to say, destroy a ship or even disrupt a column of heavy armor you just send a signal to the waiting bundles, give them a picture of the target and let them fall on it like Mjolnir (Thor’s hammer).
At 11 meters per second squared even something 80 pounds or so falling from orbit is going to make a nice big crater or dent in your ship (and maybe the sea floor below your ship if your in shallow enough water).
Do I think that the Air Force is doing that? No, it is just a silly idea to illustrate what you might, just might, be able to do with something like this. Still you have to admit that it is the kind of thing that DARPA would come up with.
So, Kossacks, what do you think the USAF is really trying to do with this nifty little craft?
The floor is yours!
Oh! BTW- If you want to watch the launch (not that much to see but still and Atlas V booster is a big firework) you can watch it live at this link
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