Richardcyoung.com

The Online Home of Author and Investor, Dick Young

  • Home
  • How We Are Different
  • About Us
    • Foundation Principles
    • Contributors
  • Investing
    • You’ve Read The Last Issue of Intelligence Report, Now What?
  • Your Survival Guy
  • The Great Reset
  • COVID-19
  • My Rifles
  • Dividends and Compounding
  • Your Security
  • The Swiss Way
  • Dick Young
  • Debbie Young
  • Key West
  • Paris
  • Dick’s R&B Top 100
  • Liberty & Freedom Map
  • Bank Credit & Money
  • Your Survival Guy’s Super States
  • NNT & Cholesterol
  • Work to Make Money/Invest to Save Money
  • Your Health
  • Ron Paul
  • US Treasury Yield Curve: My Favorite Investor Tool

X-37B: Unmanned Space Vehicle

December 11, 2012 By The Editors

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., Dec. 11, 2012 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] today successfully returned an unmanned U.S. Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle to orbit, continuing to demonstrate how the system provides responsive, reusable access to space.

An Atlas V rocket launched OTV-1, the first of two vehicles in the program, into a low Earth orbit at 1:03 p.m. Eastern time from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 41. 

The X-37B, which combines the best of aircraft and spacecraft design in an unmanned test platform, is testing reusable vehicle technologies dealing with space experimentation, risk reduction and concept-of-operations development.

Read the full press release here.

Description and Purpose:
Boeing Experimental Systems Group, a unit of Space and Intelligence Systems, is the prime contractor for the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, an unmanned space vehicle that will be used by the United States Air Force to explore reusable space vehicle technologies in support of long-term space objectives. Objectives of the X-37B program include space experimentation, risk reduction, and concept of operations development. Boeing’s involvement in the program dates back to 1999.

Customer:
The Rapid Capabilities Office of the United States Air Force is the customer for the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. Originally a joint research effort between NASA, DARPA, and Boeing, the program transitioned to the United States Air Force in 2004.

General Characteristics:
The X-37B is one of the world’s newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Designed to operate in low-earth orbit, 110 to 500 miles above the Earth at a nominal speed of about 17,500 miles per hour, the vehicle is the first since the Space Shuttle with the ability to return experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwyZka_1Pn4&feature=watch_response

Because the X-37B can be returned to Earth, reused, and is designed to be highly flexible and maneuverable, its contributions to space exploration will result in making space access more routine, affordable, and responsive.

The X-37B features many elements that mark a first in space use. The X-37B is one-fourth the size of the Space Shuttle, and relies upon the same family of lifting body design. It also features a similar landing profile. The vehicle was built using lighter composite structures, rather than traditional aluminum. A new generation of high-temperature wing leading-edge tiles will also debut on the X-37B. These toughened uni-piece fibrous refractory oxidation-resistant ceramic (TUFROC) tiles replace the carbon carbon wing leading edge segments on the Space Shuttle. The X-37B will also use toughened uni-piece fibrous insulation (TUFI) impregnated silica tiles, which are significantly more durable than the first generation tiles used by the Space Shuttle.

Advanced conformal resuable insulation (CRI) blankets are used for the first time on the X-37B.

All avionics on the X-37B are designed to automate all de-orbit and landing functions. Additionally, there are no hydraulics onboard the X-37B; flight controls and brakes use electromechanical actuation.

The on-orbit duration of the X-37B will vary based upon mission requirements, but has the ability to perform missions lasting up to 270 days.

The objectives of the first flight are to demonstrate that the X-37B is able to conduct long-duration operations, and to enable scientists to understand the long-term effects on system components, such as the structure and future payloads. The successful first flight will include achieving orbit, de-orbiting, and safely landing at the primary return location, Vandenberg Air Force Base, or Edwards Air Force Base, if necessary.

Specifications:
Primary Mission- Experimental test vehicle
Prime Contractor- Boeing
Height- 9 feet, 6 inches (2.9 meters)
Length- 29 feet, 3 inches (8.9 meters)
Wingspan- 14 feet, 11 inches (4.5 meters)
Launch Weight- 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms)
Power- Gallium Arsenide Solar Cells with lithium-Ion batteries
Launch Vehicle- United Launch Alliance Atlas V (501)

Source: Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Recent News: Boeing’s Reusable, Unmanned X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Begins 2nd Flight – December 11, 2012
2nd Boeing-built X37B Orbital Test Vehicle Successfully Completes 1st Flight – June 16, 2012
Boeing Awarded Contract to Complete X-37 Development and Flight Test – November 25, 2002

Related Posts

  • Secretive X-37B Space Plane Disappears
  • Unmanned Little Bird
  • Proteus: Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV)
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
The Editors
Latest posts by The Editors (see all)
  • California Unions Could Spike the Slowly Recovering Supply Chain - January 26, 2023
  • Ukraine Filled with Russian Sympathizers and Collaborators - January 26, 2023
  • India Sucking Up All the Russian Oil - January 24, 2023

Dick Young’s Must Reads

  • Vermont Abandoned, Dairy Farm Economy Devastated
  • The Three Best Retirement Decisions I Ever Made
  • Thanks to America’s Worst President
  • Mises and Rothbard Finally Get Their Due
  • What to Do about China?
  • The Worst President in American History, Part I
  • Your Survival Guy’s 2022 Super States: #1 New Hampshire
  • Ron Paul: “Freedom and Central Banking Are Not Compatible”
  • A Cashless Society Is A Debacle for Americans
  • The Case for Individual Stocks: Now More than Ever

Disclosure

RSS Youngresearch.com

  • 4 Life Changing Words for Your Survival Guy: “You Should Try This”
  • Suddenly, Holding Cash Looks Good Again to Many
  • Anti-Carbon Crusaders in Davos Talk ESG and OPM
  • Is Passive Investing Already Passé?
  • Welcome to Hotel California, Where You Can Never Leave
  • What You’re Telling Me Matters
  • Can Banks Compete with Apple Pay and PayPal?
  • America’s Super States and Stocks that Respect YOU
  • Markets Are Calling the Fed’s Bluff
  • Don’t Let Your Lazy Cash Eat all Your Food

RSS Yoursurvivalguy.com

  • 4 Life Changing Words for Your Survival Guy: “You Should Try This”
  • Anti-Carbon Crusaders in Davos Talk ESG and OPM
  • Welcome to Hotel California, Where You Can Never Leave
  • What You’re Telling Me Matters
  • The Rich Seek More from Bank Accounts
  • California’s Wealth Tax Will Drive Out Remaining Rich Residents
  • Political Establishment Irate over Conservative Challenges to ESG
  • Congratulations Mikaela Shiffrin on 83rd Win
  • America’s Super States and Stocks that Respect YOU
  • NYC Bleeding Revenue as Wealthiest Flee the City

Will Western Tanks Be a Game Changer in Ukraine?

The Power of Words

4 Life Changing Words for Your Survival Guy: “You Should Try This”

Is Putin’s Meat Grinder Working?

California Unions Could Spike the Slowly Recovering Supply Chain

Ukraine Filled with Russian Sympathizers and Collaborators

Copyright © 2023 | Terms & Conditions | About Us | Dick Young | Archives