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X-37b Factsheet and Possible Missions
X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Fact Sheet Debate Over Mission and Reason for this Program Official objectives of the X-37B program include "space experimentation, risk reduction and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies." However, none of the potential missions posited by the US military appear to justify the program's existence, especially on a cost basis, and this has led to speculation about what the "real" mission may be. X-37B as a deployment platform for ORS satellites (Feasibility: medium) X-37B could be launched into orbit and deploy multiple small satellites on a very timely basis to support time sensitive warfighter needs "We could have an X-37 sitting at Vandenberg or at the Cape, and on comparatively short notice, depending on warfighter requirements, we could put a specific payload into the payload bay, launch it up on an Atlas or Delta, and then have it stay in orbit, do the job for the combatant commander, and come back home," Payton said. "And then the next flight, we could have a different payload inside, maybe even for a different combatant commander." ....Gary Payton, the undersecretary of the Air Force for space programs. http://swfound.org/media/1791/x-37b_otv_factsheet.pdf The Great Game in Space China's Evolving ASAT Weapons Programs and Their Implications for Future U.S. Strategy "If there is a great power war in this century, it will not begin with the sound of explosions on the ground and in the sky, but rather with the bursting of kinetic energy and the flashing of laser light in the silence of outer space. China is engaged in an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons drive that has profound implications for future U.S. military strategy in the Pacific. China's direct-ascent ASATs pose a serious challenge to U.S. photographic intelligence (PHOTINT), electro-optical (EO), synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and electronic intelligence (ELINT) satellites that operate in low-earth orbit (LEO). According to Desmond Ball, a stockpile of around 20 direct-ascent ASATs would be needed to guarantee the destruction of the six or seven EO/SAR satellites that are thought to currently constitute the bulk of classified U.S. national security space imaging. A further 20 such weapons would be needed to guarantee the destruction of the four co-orbiting groups of three sub-satellite units (SSU) the U.S. Navy uses to locate enemy warships and ground-based air defense systems with which it can then target with its over-the-horizon, satellite-guided cruise missiles. The loss of these EO/SAR/ELINT platforms, which are probably the main targets of China's direct-ascent ASAT weapons, would be a very serious blow to the U.S. at the outset of any conflict." http://project2049.net/documents/chi...e_in_space.pdf |
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X-37b Factsheet and Possible Missions
"jonathan" wrote in message...
X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Fact Sheet Debate Over Mission and Reason for this Program Jack linthicum adds: There is a roughly 7 foot model of the X-37 in the Melbourne (Fla) waiting area. (a425 looked for this in Google, Images, and did not find any useful pictures.) |
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X-37b Factsheet and Possible Missions
On 12/21/2012 12:42 PM, a425couple wrote:
"jonathan" wrote in message... X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Fact Sheet Debate Over Mission and Reason for this Program Jack linthicum adds: There is a roughly 7 foot model of the X-37 in the Melbourne (Fla) waiting area. (a425 looked for this in Google, Images, and did not find any useful pictures.) I walked past the model yesterday morning at the Melbourne International Bus Station. Regarding ORS, the small-sat birds are compatible with virtually all classes of launcher. The mount on a parasite ring for a "free" ride on larger boosters and can launch three-up on things like a Taurus. X-37's uses are classified which means they're, well, classified. Speculation should center on the long duration of the missions and the ability to land at a friendly airport at almost any time since those are the major distinguishing characteristics. Launches still have to happen at a major launch complex. Paul |
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