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#460
by
robertross
on 01 Dec, 2010 01:04
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Preparations underway for first landing of X-37B
11/30/2010 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Preparations for the first landing of the X-37B are underway at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Space professionals from the 30th Space Wing will monitor the de-orbit and landing of the Air Force's first X-37B, called the Orbital Test Vehicle 1 (OTV-1). While the exact landing date and time will depend on technical and weather considerations, it is expected to occur between Friday, December 3, and Monday, December 6, 2010.
Wicked. Thanks for the posting.
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#461
by
JosephB
on 01 Dec, 2010 01:16
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SFN has another article on this.
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#462
by
simonbp
on 01 Dec, 2010 01:43
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2. 40 degree inclination is basically useless for reconn. Doesn't go north enough
+/-40 degrees is 64.2% of the Earth's surface area, and all you need if you don't care about Europe/Russia...
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#463
by
vt_hokie
on 01 Dec, 2010 03:20
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Cool. I wonder what it looks like when an autonomous lifting body flares out of a dive for a runway landing at nearly 300mph!
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#464
by
Patchouli
on 01 Dec, 2010 03:21
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Cool. I wonder what it looks like when an autonomous lifting body flares out of a dive for a runway landing at nearly 300mph!
See STS-1 through STS-132 landing videos.
Better yet Buran it was autonomous.
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#465
by
JosephB
on 01 Dec, 2010 10:41
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SFN has another article on this.
Sounds like there will be a third mission (if I read that right).
Maybe the third flight is old news?
"Another X-37B spacecraft is under construction at Boeing Phantom Works for launch in the spring of 2011."
"This mission will continue after landing with a thorough check of how the space plane weathered more than 32 weeks in orbit. Engineers will then prepare the vehicle for a second mission."
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#466
by
JosephB
on 01 Dec, 2010 10:58
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Further, wouldn't a 4th flight be logical (with vehicle #2) to test how fast turnaround time could be?
Or at least some point in the program?
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#467
by
Jim
on 01 Dec, 2010 11:26
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SFN has another article on this.
Sounds like there will be a third mission (if I read that right).
Maybe the third flight is old news?
"Another X-37B spacecraft is under construction at Boeing Phantom Works for launch in the spring of 2011."
"This mission will continue after landing with a thorough check of how the space plane weathered more than 32 weeks in orbit. Engineers will then prepare the vehicle for a second mission."
No, the next flight of an X-37 will be the second vehicle and the current manifest has only one OTV
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#468
by
JosephB
on 01 Dec, 2010 11:58
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Right, the second flight will be with the second vehicle
but they made it sound like vehicle #1 (current mission) will be prepared for a second mission (third flight of an X-37)?
I'm guessing you mean preparing vehicle #1 for a second flight is one thing, but having the launch vehicle for it is another.
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#469
by
Rocket Guy
on 01 Dec, 2010 12:32
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I think what Jim means is only one more OTV, two total, but maybe I'm mistaken.
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#470
by
Jim
on 01 Dec, 2010 13:01
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Right, the second flight will be with the second vehicle
but they made it sound like vehicle #1 (current mission) will be prepared for a second mission (third flight of an X-37)?
I'm guessing you mean preparing vehicle #1 for a second flight is one thing, but having the launch vehicle for it is another.
correct and "preparing" means refurb. It wouldn't be "prepared" for the next flight until it is shipped down to the launch site.
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#471
by
JimO
on 01 Dec, 2010 17:25
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Hope we get to see video & pics (even if it's after the week of landing)!
Landing will probably be shortly after midnight local time.
NOTAMS confirms that, it seems.
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#472
by
JosephB
on 01 Dec, 2010 17:44
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Awww night landing, bummer. Not surprising though I guess.
I had visions of clear skys & sushine, X-37 banking for final etc.
Beggars can't be choosers...
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#473
by
Jester
on 01 Dec, 2010 18:11
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Probably will look like ALTV
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#474
by
iamlucky13
on 01 Dec, 2010 20:09
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Probably will look like ALTV
/youtube
Kind of nice how the White Knight's unusual shape provides a convenient perch for a camera to view the payload.
I've always thought, especially through the highly zoomed videos, that the space shuttle looks like it's diving pretty steep towards the ground before flaring in the last couple of seconds. With the smaller size of the X-37, the perception is even more dramatic.
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#475
by
edkyle99
on 01 Dec, 2010 22:52
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I've always thought, especially through the highly zoomed videos, that the space shuttle looks like it's diving pretty steep towards the ground before flaring in the last couple of seconds.
Having seen a few landings in person, I can attest that the dive *is* steep, zoom lens or not!
- Ed Kyle
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#476
by
butters
on 01 Dec, 2010 23:49
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X-37 does have stubby horizontal wings, whereas Dream Chaser (HL-20) only has the delta V-tail, so how do their touchdown velocities compare? Would DC be faster than the "nearly 300 mph" quoted for X-37?
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#477
by
CitabriaFlyer
on 02 Dec, 2010 00:34
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X-37 Questions:
1) If landing at Vandenberg AFB why not launch from SLC-3 at Vandenberg?
2) Why launch at CCAFS? Aren't polar orbits preferred for recon? Or is it that most mean people live within 60 degrees of the equator?
3) If launching at CCAFS why not land at the shuttle landing facility?
4) How do they haul X-37 across the continent? C-5?
5) What strategy is in place to support an urgent launch on need x-37 recon mission in the event of a national security contingency? Can another Atlas be utilized? Can a Delta IV be used?
6) Somewhat related, how fast can ULA manufacture an Atlas V?
Thanks
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#478
by
JosephB
on 02 Dec, 2010 00:35
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I know a lot of folks are going to roll their eyes when they read this but coming home from LEO on wings & wheels (ala HL-20, or preferably HL-42) has WAY more panache than a splash or a thud... unless it's from BEO. $0.02
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#479
by
Jorge
on 02 Dec, 2010 00:49
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X-37 Questions:
1) If landing at Vandenberg AFB why not launch from SLC-3 at Vandenberg?
2) Why launch at CCAFS? Aren't polar orbits preferred for recon? Or is it that most mean people live within 60 degrees of the equator?
X-37 is in a 40 deg inclination orbit, outside the range safety limits for a launch from Vandenberg.
3) If launching at CCAFS why not land at the shuttle landing facility?
X-37 is USAF, SLF is NASA.