Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES  (Read 158471 times)

Offline Star One

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #180 on: 01/31/2019 08:23 pm »
US Military Space Plane Wings Past 500 Days on Latest Mystery Mission

Quote
Ted Molczan, a Toronto-based satellite analyst, told Inside Outer Space that OTV-5 began September 2018 in an orbit about 243 miles (391 kilometers) high, inclined 54.5 degrees to the equator. Its ground track repeated every three days, after 46 revolutions.

"In mid-September, it lowered its altitude to 214 miles (344 km), which caused its ground track to repeat every two days, after 31 revolutions," Molczan said. "It appeared to still be in approximately that orbit when last observed, on January 26, by Alberto Rango, from Rome, Italy."

Repeating ground tracks are very common, Molczan said, especially for spacecraft that observe the Earth. "I do not know why OTV has repeating ground tracks," he said.

Kevin Fetter, an amateur Canadian satellite spotter in Brockville, Ontario, caught the OTV-5 craft zip by above a bright star. The video can be viewed here.

Offline Star One

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SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #181 on: 02/27/2019 06:41 pm »
Now in a fairly low orbit. Believe they often adopt a lower orbit weeks before returning. But only time will tell as the post says it has been in this orbit previously.

Updated elements.

http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Feb-2019/0134.html
« Last Edit: 02/27/2019 06:46 pm by Star One »

Offline vapour_nudge

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Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #184 on: 07/04/2019 07:02 am »
I've enhanced the image so as bring out the dark areas.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Star One

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Offline vapour_nudge

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Offline whitelancer64

365 days in orbit.
Now at 500 days
Now at 600 days
Now at 700 days

For the record, 730 days is 2 years.

OTV-4 was on-orbit for 717 days and 20 hours   
« Last Edit: 08/07/2019 11:17 pm by whitelancer64 »
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Online Alter Sachse

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #188 on: 08/26/2019 03:14 pm »
OTV 1 224 days
OTV 2 468 days
OTV 3 ~675 days
OTV 4 717 20h 42min
OTV 5 718 days (today)
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Offline SMS

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #189 on: 08/27/2019 07:52 pm »
OTV-1/OTV-1 F1/USA-212 224days09h24min
OTV-2/OTV-2 F1/USA-226 468days14h02min
OTV-3/OTV-1 F2/USA-240 674days22h21min
OTV-4/OTV-2 F2/USA-261 717days20h42min
OTV-5/OTV-1 F3/USA-277 719days and increases...
---
SMS ;-).

Offline SMS

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Offline jacqmans

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #192 on: 10/27/2019 08:29 am »
☀️Hear a sonic boom? .. The Air Force’s unmanned X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 5 successfully landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Early Sunday. “The spaceplane conducted on-orbit experiments for 780 days during its mission, recently breaking its own record by being in orbit for more than 2 years”


https://www.facebook.com/575374492568934/posts/2219577994815234/
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #193 on: 10/27/2019 08:39 am »

The Air Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 5 successfully landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility this morning at 3:51 a.m. EST.

X-37B breaks record, lands after 780 days in orbit

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 5 successfully landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility Oct. 27, 2019 at 3:51 a.m.

The spaceplane conducted on-orbit experiments for 780 days during its mission, recently breaking its own record by being in orbit for more than two years. As of today, the total number of days spent on-orbit for the entire test vehicle program is 2,865 days.

“The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable spaceplane,” said Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett. “Each successive mission advances our nation’s space capabilities.”

This is the Air Force’s premier reusable and unmanned spacecraft providing the performance and flexibility to improve technologies in a way that allows scientists and engineers to recover experiments tested in a long-duration space environment.

“The safe return of this spacecraft, after breaking its own endurance record, is the result of the innovative partnership between Government and Industry,” said General David L. Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force.  “The sky is no longer the limit for the Air Force and, if Congress approves, the U.S. Space Force.”

Managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the X-37B program performs risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies.

“This program continues to push the envelope as the world’s only reusable space vehicle. With a successful landing today, the X-37B completed its longest flight to date and successfully completed all mission objectives,” said Randy Walden, Director, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. “This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.”

The distinctive ability to test new systems in space and return them to Earth is unique to the X-37B program and enables the U.S. to more efficiently and effectively develop space capabilities necessary to maintain superiority in the space domain.

“This spacecraft is a key component of the space community. This milestone demonstrates our commitment to conducting experiments for America’s future space exploration,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Keen, X-37B program manager. “Congratulations to the X-37B team for a job well done.”

This will be the second time the X-37B landed at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility--Mission 4 landed after 718 days in orbit. The spaceplane was designed for an on-orbit duration of 270 days.

“Today marks an incredibly exciting day for the 45th Space Wing,” said Brig. Gen. Doug Schiess, 45th Space Wing commander.  “Our team has been preparing for this event, and I am extremely proud to see their hard work and dedication culminate in today’s safe and successful landing of the X-37B.”

The fifth mission launched on Sept. 7, 2017 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on-board a Space X Falcon 9 booster, and the U.S. Air Force is preparing to launch the sixth X-37B mission from CCAFS in 2020.

Editor's note:

For X-37B imagery go here: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/X37BOTV

Jacques :-)

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Offline Jester

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #195 on: 10/27/2019 12:00 pm »
originals from af.mil
« Last Edit: 10/27/2019 12:01 pm by Jester »

Offline Jester

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #196 on: 10/27/2019 04:24 pm »
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1999734/x-37b-breaks-record-lands-after-780-days-in-orbit/

 “This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.”
« Last Edit: 10/28/2019 03:26 am by Chris Bergin »

Offline catdlr

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #197 on: 10/29/2019 01:57 am »
Watch the X-37B Space Plane's Nighttime Landing After Record 780 Days in Orbit


VideoFromSpace
Oct 28, 2019

The US Air Force's X-37B's Orbital Test Vehicle 5 (OTV-5) mission ended when the space plane landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Oct. 27, 2019.

Credit: 45th Space Wing Public Affairs / mash mix by Space.com's [Steve Spaleta]

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Offline SMS

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Online zubenelgenubi

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Re: SpaceX Falcon 9 : X-37B OTV-5 : September 7, 2017: UPDATES
« Reply #199 on: 02/12/2020 04:01 pm »
The other shoe finally dropped re: sub-satellites on this flight.
Discussion started in the discussion thread here, after this note following the landing last October.

https://twitter.com/anik1982space/status/1227326642978217985

Google translate:
Quote
The U.S. Air Force cataloged three secret satellites launched from the mini-shuttle X-37B (flight OTV-5). Their launch became known in October 2019. Dates of separation from the X-37B, orbital parameters and satellite assignments are not reported.
USA 295  45169
USA 296  45170
USA 297  45171
« Last Edit: 02/12/2020 04:09 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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