...Military Space Plane (X-37b) to Launch February 26

X-37b
http://space.skyrocket.de/index_fram..._sdat/x-37.htm


February 26, 2009: A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket to launch the
Pentagon's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle space plane prototype from Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches..._schedule.html


"The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is similar to the space shuttle, except it's
about a fourth the size and unmanned. The OTV can return from space on its own,
said Lt. Col. Kevin Walker, an Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office program
manager. "
"The X-37 program, originally a NASA initiative, was transferred to the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency in 2004. The Air Force's X-37B program builds
upon the early development and testing conducted by NASA, DARPA and the Air
Force Research Laboratory."
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123032226


Gee, I wonder what else was transferred from NASA to the military under
Bush?


WASHINGTON The U.S. Air Force has decided not to adopt NASAs orphaned X-33
and X-34 experimental rockets or take on a greater role in the agencys X-37
space
vehicle program, according to industry and government sources.
X-37, meanwhile, remains a funded NASA program with limited Air Force
involvement.
An Air Force spokesperson declined to comment on the matter
http://www.space.com/news/military_space_010905.html



......ohmygosh....they lied to us about the X-37! Go figure.
So what really happened to the X-33?


NASA Concludes X-33 Engine Test Series with
90-Second Burn

"There were no anomalies," Foerman said. "It looks like it was a good test.
What happens next with the linear aerospike engines, along with the
rest of the X-33 flight hardware, is still not clear. The U.S. Air Force
has expressed an interest in taking over the orphaned program,
but has made no formal commitment to do so.

NASA spokesman James Cast said the U.S. space agency
continues to discuss the X-33 program's future with the Air Force
http://www.space.com/spacenews/x33test_080701.html


Huh!


So, all these decades of trying to build a SSO, and it all ends
up getting militarized. Oh well, guess that's the future for NASA
and manned space flight.

To help the Pentagon build a rapid reaction force, and march a squad
of poor obedient Marines to the top of an old leaky Atlas, and
surprise the hell out of some future Osama?



Jonathan



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