Author Topic: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10  (Read 320140 times)

Offline Propforce

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #40 on: 11/21/2006 09:13 pm »
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yinzer - 21/11/2006  12:57 PM

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Jim - 21/11/2006  10:19 AM

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yinzer - 21/11/2006  12:56 PM

The X-37 does (or at least did) have solar panels.  The thinking back in the day was to be able to return usually quite expensive payloads back to earth for refurbishing/reuse/reflight.  Lots of intelligence payloads cost tons of money, and the nature of military remote sensing means that you'd frequently like to be able to make big changes to the parameters of your orbit to change overflight times.  This takes a lot of propellant, which means you can only do it so many times, but also means that you can run out of propellant when your fancy sensing payload is still doing fine, so it'd be nice to bring it back and only have to refuel it and send it back up again.

It wasn't designed for "returning" payloads.   It can only carry 500 lbs.  The vehicle itself is the payload.

Launch vehicle payload vs. satellite payload are two different things.  Doesn't the X-37 provide power, pointing, communications, and maneuvering like a normal satellite bus?

The X-37 can not be looked at as a classical satellite.  The vehicle itself is a "bus" (yes, it has all that stuff) in additon to having "sensors".  It's a "hybrid" as it has a much more flexible missions, plus the reentry.  

It should be a real fun project for your guys to design a payload adaptor & interfaces for this bird.   You should be able to get an IRD on this.

Offline Propforce

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #41 on: 11/21/2006 09:21 pm »
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yinzer - 21/11/2006  1:50 PM

... you can only sprinkle the words "aircraft-like operations" throughout your powerpoints for so long - at some point you have to actually try.

It's more like "RV-like" operation.


Offline Jim

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #42 on: 11/21/2006 09:27 pm »
Got the IRD but can't release it

Offline Propforce

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #43 on: 11/21/2006 09:34 pm »
Lockheed guys need to get it thru the official channel.

Offline Jim

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #44 on: 11/21/2006 09:52 pm »
Boeing, the X-37 contractor, is/was to supply the adapter.  It  would probably be the same way

Offline BarryKirk

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #45 on: 11/22/2006 05:29 pm »
While I like to see new hardware tested out and flown.  You never know what good can come out of it.

I do have a question.

What is the maximum weight that can be returned with a vehile like this?

What is the maximum weight that could be returned with a capsule of the same weight that would fit inside
a similar fairing on the same rocket?

Offline Jim

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #46 on: 11/23/2006 01:36 pm »
X-37 only weighs 5000lbs or so and it can only carry 500lbs of payload itself.

More could be returned on a capsule.  exact numbers are hard to determine.  But it would have less system weight

Offline mike robel

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #47 on: 11/23/2006 06:48 pm »
So, does anyone have a three or five view drawing of an X-37?  Dang if I can find one on the web.

Offline edkyle99

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #48 on: 11/23/2006 07:17 pm »
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Jim - 23/11/2006  8:19 AM

X-37 only weighs 5000lbs or so and it can only carry 500lbs of payload itself.

More could be returned on a capsule.  exact numbers are hard to determine.  But it would have less system weight

Are you talking about landing mass?  I remember reading that X-37 weighed more like 5,000-plus kg (12,000-ish pounds) at launch, which is why NASA had to switch to an EELV launch from Delta II.  Launch mass would, of course, include on-orbit and de-orbit propellant.

Which raises another question.  What is the de-orbit propulsion system?  Is it "built-in" or is a "retro" package used?

 - Ed Kyle

Offline Propforce

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #49 on: 11/23/2006 07:32 pm »
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mike robel - 23/11/2006  11:31 AM

So, does anyone have a three or five view drawing of an X-37?  Dang if I can find one on the web.

I have a desk top model that I can take a picture then post it for ya :)

I'll do it this weekend.  Turkey day today ya know...

Offline Jim

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #50 on: 11/23/2006 07:50 pm »
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edkyle99 - 23/11/2006  3:00 PM

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Jim - 23/11/2006  8:19 AM

X-37 only weighs 5000lbs or so and it can only carry 500lbs of payload itself.

More could be returned on a capsule.  exact numbers are hard to determine.  But it would have less system weight

Are you talking about landing mass?  I remember reading that X-37 weighed more like 5,000-plus kg (12,000-ish pounds) at launch, which is why NASA had to switch to an EELV launch from Delta II.  Launch mass would, of course, include on-orbit and de-orbit propellant.

Which raises another question.  What is the de-orbit propulsion system?  Is it "built-in" or is a "retro" package used?

 - Ed Kyle

I was a little low on mass.  Max landed was 7500 lbs.  13500lbs launch.  It wasn't mass, it was controllability that led to the switch.  The Delta II launch would have no fairing on the X-37

Deorbit propulsion is built in.

Offline bombay

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #51 on: 11/23/2006 08:02 pm »
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Jim - 23/11/2006  2:33 PM

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edkyle99 - 23/11/2006  3:00 PM

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Jim - 23/11/2006  8:19 AM

X-37 only weighs 5000lbs or so and it can only carry 500lbs of payload itself.

More could be returned on a capsule.  exact numbers are hard to determine.  But it would have less system weight

Are you talking about landing mass?  I remember reading that X-37 weighed more like 5,000-plus kg (12,000-ish pounds) at launch, which is why NASA had to switch to an EELV launch from Delta II.  Launch mass would, of course, include on-orbit and de-orbit propellant.

Which raises another question.  What is the de-orbit propulsion system?  Is it "built-in" or is a "retro" package used?

 - Ed Kyle

I was a little low on mass.  Max landed was 7500 lbs.  13500lbs launch.  It wasn't mass, it was controllability that led to the switch.  The Delta II launch would have no fairing on the X-37

Deorbit propulsion is built in.
If it landed at 7500lbs, would it be able to return with any payload?

Specs. show 13090 lbs at launch with 7290 lbs propellant.

Offline Norm Hartnett

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #52 on: 11/23/2006 08:16 pm »
With a 500lb payload any sort of weapons platform wouldn't be likely. My guess is that it is going to do exactly what they say it is, test TPS systems. Acourding to what I have read so far it is now equiped with some advanced bricks. Would the mass to surface ratio be large enough to allow testing of metalic TPS?
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline Jim

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #53 on: 11/23/2006 08:16 pm »
landed weight of 7500lbs with 500lb payload

Offline vt_hokie

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #54 on: 12/15/2006 06:37 am »
I wonder if Honeywell developed any of the X-37 software.

Offline gladiator1332

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #55 on: 03/03/2007 10:52 pm »
Any updates on the X-37 in the last few months?

Offline publiusr

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #56 on: 03/30/2007 07:16 pm »
Probably under wraps. I'm thinking you really don't need a higher security clearance for integration--just the actual design. Either this craft or similar types in the future will probably have cold gas thrusters...

--perhaps for satellite inspection

Offline Jim

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #57 on: 03/31/2007 12:32 am »
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publiusr - 30/3/2007  3:16 PM

Probably under wraps. I'm thinking you really don't need a higher security clearance for integration--just the actual design. Either this craft or similar types in the future will probably have cold gas thrusters...

--perhaps for satellite inspection

It is not.  It also uses hydrazine

Offline vt_hokie

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #58 on: 08/30/2007 12:33 am »
Any updates on the orbital X-37?  I don't see it listed on the spaceflightnow.com launch schedule.

Offline William Graham

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Re: Pre-Launch History: Atlas V - OTV X-37B - April 22, 10
« Reply #59 on: 08/30/2007 01:05 pm »
2008 launch looks doubtful. The Atlas is pretty busy all year, and with the current valve problem, 2007 launches are being pushed back into 2008.

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