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X-37B Test Article pictures
by
Orbital Debris
on 12 Jul, 2011 02:29
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Imagine my surprise to see this as I merged onto the I-15, headed south through Las Vegas just after lunchtime. Anyone care to speculate where it was coming from?
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#1
by
Alpha Control
on 12 Jul, 2011 02:53
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Goodness! Area 51?
Seriously, what a thing to see on the highways. Most folks on the road might scratch their heads and wonder "What kind of airplane is that?" But anyone from this site will recognize that twin tail configuration in a heartbeat.
Wonder where it's headed?
Great picture, btw, and resourceful of you to capture it while driving at speed.
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#2
by
Orbital Debris
on 12 Jul, 2011 03:13
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I would expect that it was headed down to Edwards, or Mojave. Perhaps it was displayed in Florida for STS-135?
I don't even like to be talking on my cell while driving, and I think I got pretty lucky lining up the shot. I was able to move up behind it, and was being extra careful. The last thing I would want to do would be to bump the wing. would not want to explain that to my insurance!
"Um, yeah I hit a space ship. Well just one that they dropped from a plane, you know."
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#3
by
Antares
on 12 Jul, 2011 03:17
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That's one of the best things I've ever seen on the internet. I imagine most of the people in LV thought it was just a show prop or something for a casino.
Priceless.
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#4
by
Prober
on 15 Jul, 2011 11:18
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I would expect that it was headed down to Edwards, or Mojave. Perhaps it was displayed in Florida for STS-135?
I don't even like to be talking on my cell while driving, and I think I got pretty lucky lining up the shot. I was able to move up behind it, and was being extra careful. The last thing I would want to do would be to bump the wing. would not want to explain that to my insurance!
"Um, yeah I hit a space ship. Well just one that they dropped from a plane, you know."
hmm it should have turned off toward Pahrump. Weird, sounds like its heading back to San Diego then. Been trying to figure out why it was on this hwy. going south.
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#5
by
Rocket Science
on 15 Jul, 2011 11:44
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I would expect that it was headed down to Edwards, or Mojave. Perhaps it was displayed in Florida for STS-135?
I don't even like to be talking on my cell while driving, and I think I got pretty lucky lining up the shot. I was able to move up behind it, and was being extra careful. The last thing I would want to do would be to bump the wing. would not want to explain that to my insurance!
"Um, yeah I hit a space ship. Well just one that they dropped from a plane, you know."
HaHa... "bump a wing" Chris will love this... that's what the Brits call a "fender" on a car! Supercool, right place, right time sweet!
Regards
Robert
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#6
by
MarekCyzio
on 15 Jul, 2011 17:13
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Imagine my surprise to see this as I merged onto the I-15, headed south through Las Vegas just after lunchtime. Anyone care to speculate where it was coming from?
This is simply amazing, I am speechless!
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#7
by
iamlucky13
on 15 Jul, 2011 17:52
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Nice. Definitely better than the time I going down the freeway and saw myself being overtaken in my mirrors by...an A-6 Intruder.
Minus the wings, landing gear, and engines, and sitting on a trailer, but still, not something you expect to see in the next lane.
Whenever I see something under a tarp go down the freeway, I wonder what sweet piece of equipment it is. I'll probably never see something as cool as an X-37 or a Falcon 9 thrust assembly, but living near Boeing, I see a lot of jet engines. It's strange to think if something happened to the trucks carrying those that the damage could be in the millions of dollars.
http://www.spacex.com/assets/img/20090922_movetexas.jpg
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#8
by
Downix
on 16 Jul, 2011 02:54
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Cooler than when I had an old F-100 from the Thunderbirds pass by me on Route 1 in Maine.
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#9
by
Antares
on 16 Jul, 2011 02:58
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I'm guessing Rocket Road is new....Crenshaw Avenue is quite old.
Dude... I think you're on the wrong thread.
S/B commenting on the first stage leaving Hawthorne on the SpaceX thread.
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#10
by
Blackstar
on 16 Jul, 2011 20:02
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It was in Colorado Springs a few months ago. I suspect that they did a tour of Air Force bases.
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#11
by
Orbital Debris
on 19 Jul, 2011 03:11
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I had some friends unofficially confirm this as the air launch test vehicle, rather than a flight article. Which would account for what seems like a casual transport method.
I don't know why you would expect it to head towards Pahrump? I expected it to head to the EAFB area. Just to clarify, this was taken pretty near the center of Las Vegas. I forget that not everyone would recognize the Stratosphere tower in the background.
But if it was the same article that was displayed in Colorado Springs, I could see this being the route home.
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#12
by
Prober
on 19 Jul, 2011 04:12
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I had some friends unofficially confirm this as the air launch test vehicle, rather than a flight article. Which would account for what seems like a casual transport method.
I don't know why you would expect it to head towards Pahrump? I expected it to head to the EAFB area. Just to clarify, this was taken pretty near the center of Las Vegas. I forget that not everyone would recognize the Stratosphere tower in the background.
But if it was the same article that was displayed in Colorado Springs, I could see this being the route home.
I figured it would head toward Tonopah, but as you said this is the show model.
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#13
by
kevin-rf
on 19 Jul, 2011 13:06
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#14
by
iamlucky13
on 19 Jul, 2011 21:27
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Err...I hope they PM'd you to ask before using your picture.
Or is there a blanket image license for NSF that pictures we upload fall under?
Interesting to note that Mr. Trimble or one of his associates keeps an eye on these boards.
