Air Force to take over X-37 project
Posted: Sat, Nov 18, 2006, 4:15 PM ET (2115 GMT)
The US Air Force announced Friday that it was developing a reusable space vehicle project using technology based on the X-37 program formerly run by NASA. The Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) project is designed to demonstrate the technologies needed for a reusable spacecraft that could be launched on an existing launch vehicle, carry out operations in orbit, and return to Earth. The OTV, also designated the X-37B, will be based on the X-37, an RLV technology demonstrator developed by NASA in the late 1990s but later cancelled. An X-37 atmospheric test vehicle, designed to demonstrate approach and landing systems, was transferred from NASA to DARPA in 2004 and flight tested on the White Knight aircraft originally built by Scaled Composites for SpaceShipOne flights. The first OTV flight is scheduled for 2008, when the vehicle will be launched on an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral and land at either Vandenberg or Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The US Air Force announced Friday that it was developing a reusable space vehicle project using technology based on the X-37 program formerly run by NASA. The Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) project is designed to demonstrate the technologies needed for a reusable spacecraft that could be launched on an existing launch vehicle, carry out operations in orbit, and return to Earth. The OTV, also designated the X-37B, will be based on the X-37, an RLV technology demonstrator developed by NASA in the late 1990s but later cancelled. An X-37 atmospheric test vehicle, designed to demonstrate approach and landing systems, was transferred from NASA to DARPA in 2004 and flight tested on the White Knight aircraft originally built by Scaled Composites for SpaceShipOne flights. The first OTV flight is scheduled for 2008, when the vehicle will be launched on an Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral and land at either Vandenberg or Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
NASA astronauts moved from Starliner flights because of delays
Posted: Sun, Oct 10 11:58 AM ET (1558 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, October 15
Jury finds former NASA executive guilty in shooting death of Springfield neighbor
WTOP-FM Washington — 8:23 am ET (1223 GMT) NASA Leadership Visits JPL, Discusses Climate Change and Mars
NASA — 8:23 am ET (1223 GMT) SpaceX rapidly tests, ships Falcon 9 second stage for next NASA astronaut launch
Teslarati — 8:22 am ET (1222 GMT) NASA's Lucy mission will spend 12 years examining Jupiter asteroids with clues to solar system
Houston Chronicle — 8:22 am ET (1222 GMT) NASA Advisor Lucianne Walkowicz Quits Over James Webb Space Telescope
Business Insider — 8:21 am ET (1221 GMT) |
