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Could the X-37B be an attempt to bypass the FOBS Treaty?
On Apr 12, 6:05*am, "Jonathan" wrote:
1. The fact the X-37b is designed to stay aloft for 270 days, and 2. be able to dramatically change orbits with it's large engine, 3. indicates it's more of an orbital maneuvering vehicle than any kind of weapon delivery system. 4. The X-37b is probably meant to service various future military satellites and provide flexible surveillance and so on. 5. Response time and flexibility are always crucial for military systems, so they can be deployed to a region quickly. Having something already in orbit, which it can change quickly, is the fastest way I would think. 6. And being in orbit so long would indicate any payload is dedicated to the work being done in orbit, not so much for orbital lift and recovery. Since the X-37 can stay in orbit so long, we would only need to build a small number of them, and launch costs wouldn't be such an issue. 7 For all we know, this might be a 1/3 scale model, and in the end it ends up being an unmanned version of the shuttle, even launched the same way as the shuttle. 1. Not a big deal , since it is a satellite and not a manned spacecraft 2. Not so, it can not "dramatically" change orbits. It can adjust its orbit, much like the shuttle. And it is not a big engine. 3. It indicates nothing. 4. There is nothing to indicate this. The X-37 does not have rendezvous sensors. 5. It is not quick reaction. it is limit in its orbit path, just like any other spacecraft. That is why quick response involves a launch vehicle so it can go over the target in the first orbit. 6. 270 days is not a long time, it is short for a satellite. Most satellites last 3-5 years in LEO and don't need wings. It has wings, that means recovery and reuse. That is its primary feature and not the "short" mission duration of 270 days. 7. It is not a 1/3 scale model. NASA started the program. It was not designed to USAF requirements, the USAF is just continuing to use a vehicle as a test platform |
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Could the X-37B be an attempt to bypass the FOBS Treaty?
On Apr 29, 6:43*pm, Pat Flannery wrote:
1. So did the NASA one have RVs riding atop the wings also?:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077821/ 2. As far as it having rendezvous sensors - other than a deployable solar panel, we don't have a clue about what else is in the small cargo bay. 1. Boeing marketing pitch 2. RCS is not set up for rendezvous |
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Could the X-37B be an attempt to bypass the FOBS Treaty?
On 4/29/2010 8:37 AM, Me wrote:
7. It is not a 1/3 scale model. NASA started the program. It was not designed to USAF requirements, the USAF is just continuing to use a vehicle as a test platform So did the NASA one have RVs riding atop the wings also?: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077821/ As far as it having rendezvous sensors - other than a deployable solar panel, we don't have a clue about what else is in the small cargo bay. Pat |
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Could the X-37B be an attempt to bypass the FOBS Treaty?
On 4/29/2010 12:25 PM, Me wrote:
1. Boeing marketing pitch Boeing marketing pitch from way back before this was ever a NASA project, and it was a DARPA/Air Force military space program. This is the flip side of the Shuttle program, where NASA was told they could only develop the Shuttle if they could get the Air Force interested in it, and the Air Force didn't really want it. In this case, the Air Force was told that they couldn't develop the thing unless they could get NASA interested in it, and it was NASA who didn't really want it. :-D Pat |
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