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Shadowalker
Apocaloptimist

Reged: 11/23/04

Loc: Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, ...

More X37B news
#5215832 - 05/10/12 04:06 PM

Or should I say lack of news. It has been up well over a year...

X37B

There do seem to be rumors of a larger version under development at Boeing. Speculation is boundless.

Post Extras:

Rick Woods
Postmaster

Reged: 01/27/05

Loc: Inner Solar System

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: Shadowalker]
#5216295 - 05/10/12 09:11 PM

They're preparing for a Klingon invasion.

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deSitter
Still in Old School

Reged: 12/09/04

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: Rick Woods]
#5216323 - 05/10/12 10:17 PM

It's an astrophysics experiment to see how much money they can collect in orbit. Money makes the world go round.

Is there an emoticon for disgust?

-drl

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seryddwr
Innocent Bystander

Reged: 02/19/10

Loc: I don't know, you tell me.

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: deSitter]
#5216374 - 05/10/12 11:11 PM

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Pess
(Title)

Reged: 09/12/07

Loc: Toledo, Ohio

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: seryddwr]
#5216669 - 05/11/12 07:57 AM

Maybe it is just broke?

I guess it escapes me what use this thing has over a basic satellite? I mean aside from offensive military goals?

They are talking about a man-rated version...maybe?

Pesse (shrugs) Mist

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dickbill
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/30/08

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: Pess]
#5216825 - 05/11/12 10:12 AM

It puzzles me too. It's clearly a return vehicle, but the question is 'what has to be returned?'
If it was a spy drone, or a bomb carrier, a return wouldn't be necessary. Man rated? to do what that a robotized version can't do better?
I think the only think valuable to be returned is an ennemy satellite. Well, not all of it since the payload bay is not big enough for a large spy satellites, but the electronic and the hardrives would certainly be of a great value. So there is probably a robotic arm inside the bay, with saws and screw drivers to access the motherboad and return it.
What else?

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dickbill
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/30/08

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: dickbill]
#5216832 - 05/11/12 10:19 AM

....actually, maybe it's to reprogramm the ennemy mother board. Like in mission impossible, when the camera shows and empty corridor when lots of activity is actually taking place.
Is it possible to do that at close range of a satellite but without removing the electronics and hard drives?

Edited by dickbill (05/11/12 10:20 AM)

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deSitter
Still in Old School

Reged: 12/09/04

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: dickbill]
#5216835 - 05/11/12 10:19 AM

Well one obvious answer is a camera that can keep data onboard and come home with it. Streaming it from space may not be an option.

-drl

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dickbill
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/30/08

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: deSitter]
#5216838 - 05/11/12 10:23 AM

Quote:

Well one obvious answer is a camera that can keep data onboard and come home with it. Streaming it from space may not be an option.
-drl

At the time of argentic films, maybe, but everything is digital and can be encrypted. Plus, now people want to see in real time, they don't want to wait for the return to see the pictures.

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Shadowalker
Apocaloptimist

Reged: 11/23/04

Loc: Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, ...

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: dickbill]
#5216878 - 05/11/12 10:43 AM

To paraphrase former New Orleans Mayor Victor Schiro (If it's good for New Orleans, I'm FOR IT!), I say, if it flys in space, I'm FOR IT!

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Rick Woods
Postmaster

Reged: 01/27/05

Loc: Inner Solar System

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: Shadowalker]
#5216988 - 05/11/12 11:53 AM

What makes me wonder is the statement that it was an unqualified success, despite the fact that nobody knows what it's doing up there. But, if we put together the operative words "military", "satellite", and "secret", I think we have a pretty good clue as to its mission.

Tom, where do you keep coming up with all these goat pictures?!

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deSitter
Still in Old School

Reged: 12/09/04

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: Rick Woods]
#5217000 - 05/11/12 12:00 PM

I'm not for it - secrecy in space and expensive wonder weapons. Secrecy and militarism are the twin poisons of democracy.

-drl

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llanitedave
Humble Megalomaniac

Reged: 09/26/05

Loc: Amargosa Valley, NV, USA

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: Rick Woods]
#5217024 - 05/11/12 12:14 PM

Quote:

Tom, where do you keep coming up with all these goat pictures?!

Tom has a secret and expensive military project within NASA.

GOATS IN SPACE!

Post Extras:

Pess
(Title)

Reged: 09/12/07

Loc: Toledo, Ohio

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: llanitedave]
#5217170 - 05/11/12 01:37 PM

Well goats can be a secret superweapon....

Just think about it. Goats will eat absolutely anything...

Breed a specialty goat stock with huge stomachs and then unleash them on the world.,,,,

What are you left with?

Pesse (Magnificent desolation) Mist

Post Extras:

seryddwr
Innocent Bystander

Reged: 02/19/10

Loc: I don't know, you tell me.

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: llanitedave]
#5217173 - 05/11/12 01:38 PM

One thing strikes me as possible, though the military may not be planning it, is to capture dead satellites and bring them down safely, thus reducing the hazard of space junk. (I hear there are still old Soviet satellites up there, with nuclear reactors on them.)

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Shadowalker
Apocaloptimist

Reged: 11/23/04

Loc: Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, ...

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: llanitedave]
#5217206 - 05/11/12 01:55 PM

Quote:

Tom has a secret and expensive military project within NASA.

GOATS IN SPACE!

DAMMIT, DAVE!!! Now I have to KILL you!

Post Extras:

Shadowalker
Apocaloptimist

Reged: 11/23/04

Loc: Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, ...

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: Shadowalker]
#5217237 - 05/11/12 02:11 PM

Well, the AF insists this is "technology demonstration." So what are the attributes of this thing?

1. Reusable
2. Maneuverable
3. Designed for long space operations.
4. Recoverable in a controlled fashion

So what kinds of payloads would require return, a maneuverable vehicle (capable of changing orbit), a long time on orbit and a controlled, flyback recovery? And then launch it again?

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barasits
sage

Reged: 06/12/11

Loc: Chicago

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: deSitter]
#5217375 - 05/11/12 03:25 PM

Quote:

I'm not for it - secrecy in space and expensive wonder weapons. Secrecy and militarism are the twin poisons of democracy.

-drl

Amen, brother!

Post Extras:

scopethis
Postmaster

Reged: 05/30/08

Loc: Kingman, Ks

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: barasits]
#5217419 - 05/11/12 03:57 PM

perhaps it's going to be used to capture satellites of other countries...or just wrap them in tin foil...

Post Extras:

Pess
(Title)

Reged: 09/12/07

Loc: Toledo, Ohio

Re: More X37B news new

[Re: scopethis]
#5217469 - 05/11/12 04:32 PM

Didn't we learn anything from Buck Rodgers in the twenty-first century?

I think it fell into a tidal stretched worm hole.

Pesse (We need to stop monkeying around and call in Charlton Heston for a consult.) Mist

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