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X-37B Sneaks Around In Plain Sight
   Next Article → WARPLANES: Paper Tiger
May 27, 2010: A month ago, the U.S. Air Force launched an X-37B UOV (unmanned orbital vehicle). X-37B is a remotely controlled mini-Space Shuttle. The space vehicle has been spotted by amateur astronomers (who like to watch spy satellites as well), and the X-37B appears to be going through some tests. The X-37B is believed to have a payload of about 227-300 kg (500-660 pounds), and is capable of staying in orbit for 9 months. The payload bay is 2.1x1.4 meters (7x4 feet). When returned to earth, it will land by itself (after being ordered to use a specific landing area.) The X-37B weighs five tons, is nine meters (29 feet) long and has a wingspan of 4 meters (14 feet). The Space Shuttle is 56 meters long, weighs 2,000 tons and has a payload of 24 tons.

The X-37B is a classified project, so not many additional details are available. It's been in development for eleven years, but work was slowed down for a while because of lack of money. A second X-37B is now being built, and is to be launched next year.

What makes the X-37B so useful is that it is very maneuverable, contains some internal sensors (as well as communications gear), and can carry mini-satellites, or additional sensors, in the payload bay. Using a remotely controlled arm, the X-37B could refuel or repair other satellites. But X-37B is a classified project, with few details about its payload or mission (other than testing the system on its first mission), future missions will involve intelligence work, and perhaps servicing existing spy satellites (which use up their fuel to change their orbits.)

 

 

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trenchsol       5/27/2010 8:11:50 AM
I guess that maneuverability makes it less vulnerable to anti satellite weapons ? Could it provide temporary replacement for satellite that might be destroyed by hostiles ?
 
DG
 
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reefdiver       5/27/2010 9:40:54 AM
"..could refuel or repair other satellites" - meaning it could also disable or destroy satellites - friend or foe. Perhaps it could attach a small booster rocket and either de-orbit the satellite - destroying it  without leaving any junk in space. Refueling is of course a more PC mission...
 
 
 
 
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Vulture       5/27/2010 12:46:57 PM
With maneuvering and the comm capailities(and comm relay to its payload) these X-37s can launch multiple A-SAT attacks.   2kg micro sats or microbots ?  A small bot could attach and when needed shutdown an enemy sat, or maybe even act as a tap on someone's commsat.     Lamprey micro sats  are possible because most Satellites have known busses (the common framework that is the power/framework/infrastructure for the  payload of a sat.
 
 
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WarNerd       5/27/2010 10:04:00 PM

With maneuvering and the comm capailities(and comm relay to its payload) these X-37s can launch multiple A-SAT attacks.   2kg micro sats or microbots ?  A small bot could attach and when needed shutdown an enemy sat, or maybe even act as a tap on someone's commsat.     Lamprey micro sats  are possible because most Satellites have known busses (the common framework that is the power/framework/infrastructure for the  payload of a sat.
 
 
 
Tapping into a satellite would probably require you to open or drill through a cover panel, both of which are trickier than they sound.
 
I wonder how small a micro A-SAT could be if it used something like an ion engine and took up to a year to get to the target and attach itself.  Then, anytime after that, you could just send a signal and a small shape charge sends a shower of molten copper droplets into the interior of the sat to knock out or degrade the electronics to the point of uselessness.
 
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Don Vandervelde    Spacephibian   5/27/2010 10:05:07 PM
   This is the perfect UASV test bed to operate in and out of space and demonstrate that reentry can and should be done by "flying" gently into the atmosphere, dissipating orbital speed gradualy by drogue chutes,  aerial speed brakes and aerodynamic lift, safely, without excessive heat build-up and attendant structural weight.  It could glide to any airport on earth, perhaps doing a little "aerial reconnaisance" on the way.
 
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Tucci78    Potentially upscaled?   6/1/2010 12:09:34 AM
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The hardware and software (systems) devised for the X-37B program looks useful in creating a larger vehicle which would serve as a potential remotely operated (or even autonomous) replacement for the STS "shuttle" system.
 
Any speculation about this? 
 
Politically as well as with regard to cost-efficiency, such a replacement for the shuttle is a Major Good Idea, and might do more than a little to explain why the STS program has been shut down.  
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