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ЦитироватьAtlas V to Launch AFSPC-5 for the U.S. Air Force

Date/Site/Launch Time: Wednesday, May 6, from Space Launch Complex (SLC)-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Mission Description: This mission will be launched in support of the national defense.

Launch Notes: AFSPC-5 marks ULA's 96th mission since the company was founded in 2006 and the fifth ULA launch of 2015. AFSPC-5 also will be the 54th Atlas V launch since the vehicle's inaugural mission in 2002

(https://forum.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/file/53762)
Rocket/Payload: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 501 will launch the AFSPC-5 mission for the U.S. Air Force.

ЦитироватьLightSail Arrives in Florida; More Launch Details Revealed
Posted by Jason Davis (http://www.planetary.org/about/staff/jason-davis.html)
2015/03/09 21:32 UTC
Topics:  mission status (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/blog-archive.html?keywords=mission-status),  LightSail (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/blog-archive.html?keywords=lightsail)
A cadre of CubeSats including The Planetary Society's LightSail spacecraft completed a cross-country journey fr om California to Florida, where they await installation as a secondary payload aboard an Atlas V rocket. NASA and the U.S. Air Force also released the nomenclature of the rocket's primary and secondary payloads, and a preliminary launch date has been set for May 6.
   (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/lightsail-arrives-in-florida.html#)Read our official press release here (http://www.planetary.org/press-room/releases/2015/new-details-released-for.html).
LightSail, a 3-unit CubeSat about the size of a loaf of bread, is a part of a flock of spacecraft dubbed ULTRASat. ULTRASat contains an array of Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployers, or P-PODS, which are used to spring CubeSats into space. LightSail and its P-POD were integrated to ULTRASat at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. on Jan. 22. ULTRASat has now shipped to Cape Canaveral, where it will be attached to the Atlas V.
The launch date is currently listed as no earlier than May 6. The rocket's primary payload is designated AFSPC-5, an acronym that stands for Air Force Space Command. 
 
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/122835.jpg) (http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/space-images/spacecraft/ultrasat.html)
Naval Postgraduate School
 ULTRASat ULTRASat contains of a flock of CubeSats that will hitch a ride to orbit in May 2015 aboard an Atlas V rocket. The Planetary Society's LightSail spacecraft was integrated into ULTRASat on Jan. 22, 2015.
 
LightSail is flying under the banner of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites program—ELaNa. This iteration of the program is ELaNa XI, and LightSail is the only ELaNa member booking a ride aboard ULTRASat (http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/home/CubeSats_initiative.html). The May flight is a shakedown cruise designed to test LightSail's systems ahead of a full-fledged solar sailing demonstration in 2016.
The Planetary Society is finalizing a web dashboard that will display LightSail's ground track and telemetry data. The data will include temperature readings, power levels and rotation rates as LightSail soars around the globe, stabilizing itself using Earth's magnetic field (http://sail.planetary.org/gallery/acs-infographic.html). 
While LightSail will not be visible to the naked eye during its four-week checkout phase, it may be viewable from some locations around dawn and dusk after the sails are deployed. Visitors to the LightSail dashboard will receive predictions on when the spacecraft will be visible from their location. However, due to atmospheric drag, the 2015 test mission (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150112-lightsail-test-flight.html) is expected to end just two to ten days after sail deployment.
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/187223.jpg)  (http://sail.planetary.org)
 Visit our new LightSail website  (http://sail.planetary.org)
In honor of our May 2015 test flight, we've released a brand new LightSail website. The project's new home includes spacecraft details, a mutli-part history series, and a multimedia gallery.
 
Meanwhile, work progresses on the Society's second LightSail spacecraft, dubbed LightSail-B, which will fly to a circular, 720-kilometer orbit in 2016—high enough to demonstrate controlled solar sailing and create more viewing opportunities. LightSail-B will be paired with Prox-1, a small Georgia Tech spacecraft designed to demonstrate automated rendezvous and inspection techniques.
The lessons learned while preparing for the LightSail test mission are already being applied to LightSail-B. Currently planned improvements include radio upgrades (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2014/20140924-lightsail-sails-ditl.html), new stiffener brackets (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2014/20141015-deadlines-loom-lightsail-bends.html) and additional mirrors that will be used for ground-based laser ranging. These upgrades are being performed by Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation, the project's prime contractor. Additionally, the second LightSail spacecraft will use a momentum wheel and sun sensors to tack like a sailboat, allowing to turn toward and away from the sun's continual stream of photons.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/122834.jpg) (http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/space-images/spacecraft/ultrasat-enclosed-in-shipping.html)
Naval Postgraduate School
 ULTRASat enclosed in shipping container A team of engineers at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. prepare ULTRASat to be shipped to Cape Canaveral, Fla., wh ere it will be integrated to an Atlas V rocket for launch.

ЦитироватьMysterious mini spaceplane the next Atlas 5 payload       
Posted on March 30, 2015 by Justin Ray (http://spaceflightnow.com/author/justin-sfn-ray/)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/154623.jpg) (http://spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AFSPC5_MssnArt_Sml.jpg)
Credit: ULA
 
CAPE CANAVERAL — With its new homeport in renovated NASA space shuttle hangars off in the distance, the Air Force's X-37 mini spaceplane will be launched fr om Cape Canaveral on May 6 for its fourth journey into orbit.
The Orbital Test Vehicle will be the primary payload aboard the next United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, the 54th Atlas 5 and ULA's 96th mission overall. The launch has a codename AFSPC 5 for the Air Force Space Command flight No. 5.
Liftoff is targeted some time between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. EDT (1300-1700 GMT).
Stacking of the two-stage launcher began today inside the Vertical Integration Facility at Complex 41. The rocket will fly in its 501 configuration, the 6th flight of its type, that features a five-meter nose cone, no solid boosters and a single engine on the Centaur upper stage.
Majestically rising off the launch pad on 860,000 pounds of the thrust, the 196-foot-tall rocket will be powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 main engine for the first four-and-a-half minutes of flight.
The Centaur and its Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 then takes over for a 13-minute burn that places the X-37 mini shuttle into low-Earth orbit.
The Air Force won't yet confirm which of the Boeing-built spaceplanes will be making the voyage. The first craft returned in October fr om a 675-day mission in space following a 224 day trek in 2010. OTV No. 2 spent 469 days in space in 2011-2012 on its only mission so far.
"The program selects the Orbital Test Vehicle for each activity based upon the experiment objectives," said Capt. Chris Hoyler, an Air Force spokesperson.
"Each OTV mission builds upon previous on-orbit demonstrations and expands the test envelope of the vehicle.  The test mission furthers the development of the concept of operations for reusable space vehicles."
While the first three X-37B missions touched down at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Air Force has acknowledged it was looking at the potential of landing a flight at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
"Upon completion of the preparations at KSC, the program will have two landing options, one at KSC and one at Vandenberg Air Force Base," Hoyler said.
"OTV is leveraging previous space shuttle investments and the Orbiter Processing Facilities (OPFs) to conduct recovery and refurbishment activities after landing."
Boeing announced in January 2014 and NASA confirmed in October that it was turning over two of the OPF bays to the Air Force. The OPFs were wh ere the NASA space shuttles underwent post-flight deservicing and were readied for the next mission.
"NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Air Force's X-37B Program for use of the center's Orbiter Processing Facility Bays 1 and 2 to process the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for launch," a NASA press release said.
"Investments will be made to convert the former space shuttle facility, OPF-1, to a facility that would enable the U.S. Air Force to efficiently land, recover, refurbish and re-launch the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle," Boeing said in its press release on Jan. 3, 2014.
KSC has a three-mile-long concrete landing strip wh ere space shuttles landed for three decades. It is the same length as the Vandenberg runway that X-37B has used.
Built in 1975, KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility is a concrete strip 300 feet wide and 15,000 feet long with 1,000-foot overruns at each end. The runway is located about three miles northwest of the 525-foot tall Vehicle Assembly Building.
NASA's space shuttles landed in Florida 78 times, 20 in darkness.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
Который из лётных экземпляров X-37B запускается в этот раз?

ЦитироватьCAPE CANAVERAL — All systems are now "go" for launch of the Air Force's X-37B mystery spaceplane on May 20 from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas 5 rocket.

Officials had delayed the X-37B launch by two weeks — from May 6 to no earlier than May 20 — due to an undisclosed payload issue. Officials on Monday removed their tentative caveat from the May 20 target and firmed it up.

"The ULA Atlas 5 launch of the AFSPC 5 mission has been confirmed on the Eastern Range for May 20, 2015. The U.S. Air Force has confirmed the spacecraft is on track to meet this launch date," ULA said in a statement.

The Atlas 5-501 rocket is stacked inside the Vertical Integration Facility at the Cape's Complex 41 awaiting arrival of the spaceplane for mating to the booster's Centaur upper stage. The Centaur will execute a single firing during launch to ins ert the stubby-winged vehicle into orbit.

Meanwhile, Air Force officials have provided more detail on the propulsion experiment to be conducted on this X-37B mission. It is a Hall thruster electric propulsion test to enable in-space characterization of design modifications that are intended to improve performance to the units onboard Advanced Extremely High Frequency military communications spacecraft, officials said Monday.

Produced by Aerojet Rocktdyne, the AEHF satellites' Hall thrusters are 4.5-kilowatt units that use electricity and xenon to produce thrust for maneuvering satellites in space. The novel electric propulsion system produces a whisper-like thrust by ionizing and accelerating xenon gas.

Unlike conventional chemical engines that deliver substantial boosts with each brief firing, the electric system needs the stamina to operate for exceptionally long periods of time to harness its 0.06-pound-thrust in to orbit-changing power.

The divergent systems have their advantages and drawbacks. Although typical engines can maneuver satellites rapidly, they use large amounts of heavy fuel that in turn require a bigger, more expensive rocket to carry the spacecraft. Electric propulsion gives up timeliness for efficiency since its xenon fuel weighs a mere fraction of conventional hydrazine, but you must have patience to reap the rewards.

Each of the AEHF satellites, valued at over $1 billion, is a nuclear-survivable spacecraft that would ensure American leadership with communications in the most hellish scenarios of war imaginable. Three such satellites have been deployed to date, with three more planned.

The on-orbit test plans for the X-37B experiment are being developed by Air Force Research Laboratory and administered by the Rapid Capabilities Office, which runs the X-37B program.

"The experiment will include collection of telemetry from the Hall thruster operating in the space environment as well as measurement of the thrust imparted on the vehicle.  The resulting data will be used to validate and improve Hall thruster and environmental modeling capabilities, which enhance the ability to extrapolate ground test results to actual on-orbit performance," the Air Force said.

"Space is so vitally important to everything we do," said Maj. Gen. Tom Masiello, AFRL commander.

"Secure comms, ISR, missile warning, weather prediction, precision navigation and timing all rely on it, and the domain is increasingly contested.  A more efficient on-orbit thruster capability is huge. Less fuel burn lowers the cost to get up there, plus it enhances spacecraft operational flexibility, survivability and longevity."

Цитировать http://spacenews.com/launch-date-set-for-4th-flight-of-x-37b-spaceplane/
Launch Date Set for X-37B Spaceplane's 4th Flight
April 24, 2015
...
The Air Force declined to say which of the two X-37B spaceplanes the service will use for the mission.
"The program selects the orbital test vehicle for each activity based upon the experiment objectives,"  Air Force spokesman Capt. Chris Hoyler said. 
....
The Air Force did not say where the upcoming X-37B mission would land, or how long it would remain in orbit. The last X-37B launched into space logged 674 days in orbit before landing last October.
"We are excited about our fourth X-37B mission," Randy Walden, the director of the Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office, said in an April 24 statement.  "With the demonstrated success of the first three missions, we're able to shift our focus from initial checkouts of the vehicle to testing of experimental payloads."

This flight is aimed at evaluating improvements to the spaceplane's performance and will also include an experimental propulsion system developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, the release said.

"We're honored to host these collaborative experiments that will help advance the state-of-the-art for space technology," Walden said.

Цитироватьhttp://www.space.com/29221-x37b-military-space-plane-fourth-mission.html
Mysterious X-37B Military Space Plane to Fly Again Next Month
by Mike Wall, Space.com Senior Writer   |   April 24, 2015 06:47pm ET
....
The X-37B's payloads and specific activities are classified, so it's unclear exactly what the spacecraft does while zipping around the Earth. But Air Force officials have revealed a few clues about the upcoming mission.

"The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO) are investigating an experimental propulsion system on the X-37B on Mission 4," Capt. Chris Hoyler, an Air Force spokesman, told Space.com via email.  

"AFRCO will also host a number of advance materials onboard the X-37B for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to study the durability of various materials in the space environment," Hoyler added
.....
If Air Force officials know how long OTV-4 is going to last, they're not saying.

"The X-37B is designed for an on-orbit duration of 270 days," Hoyler said. "Longer missions have been demonstrated. As with previous missions, the actual duration will depend on test objectives, on-orbit vehicle performance and conditions at the landing facility."
......

Цитировать http://www.space.com/29282-air-force-x37b-space-plane-thruster.html
May 01, 2015 12:00pm ET

The U.S. Air Force will test an innovative spacecraft thruster this month when it launches the latest mystery mission of its robotic X-37B space plane.

A Hall thruster will be one of the payloads riding on the X-37B space plane (http://www.space.com/9940-secretive-space-plane-meet-37b.html) when it launches on May 20, Air Force officials revealed this week. The mission, called AFSPC-5, will lift off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station using an Atlas V rocket provided by launch provider United Launch Alliance. The exact mission details of the Air Force's X-37B space planes, also known as Orbital Test Vehicles, have to date been shrouded in secrecy.

Спойлер

The details about the Hall thruster experiment aboard the upcoming X-37B mission, which will be the fourth of its kind, were outlined by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space and Missile Systems Center, and Rapid Capabilities Office.

The Hall thruster is a modified version of thrusters used on the Space and Missile Systems Center's three Advanced Extremely High Frequency military communications satellites. It is a type of electric propulsion device that ionizing and accelerating a noble gas, typically xenon, to produce thrust. WhileHall thrusters (http://www.space.com/21199-space-electric-propulsion-engines.html) generate relatively low thrust when compared to that of conventionally fueled rocket engines, they make up for it in fuel economy with a much greater specific impulse.

While producing comparatively low thrust relative to conventional rocket engines, Hall thrusters provide significantly greater specific impulse, or fuel economy.

This results in increased payload carrying capacity and a greater number of on-orbit maneuvers for a spacecraft using Hall thrusters rather than traditional rocket engines, according to an update from the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (http://www.wpafb.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123446260).

Once in orbit, the X-37B toted experiment will include collection of telemetry from the Hall thruster operating in the space environment as well as measurement of the thrust imparted on the vehicle.

The resulting data will be used to validate and improve Hall thruster and environmental modeling capabilities. The in-space test will provide data to contrast ground test results to actual on-orbit performance, Air Force officials said.

"A more efficient on-orbit thruster capability is huge," AFRL commander Maj. Gen. Tom Masiello said in the Air Force statement. "Less fuel burn lowers the cost to get up there, plus it enhances spacecraft operational flexibility, survivability and longevity."

The on-orbit test plans are being developed by AFRL and administered by the Rapid Capabilities Office.
.....

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьNilk пишет:
А предыдущий-то сел? Или летает до сих пор?

ЦитироватьSam Grey пишет:
В октябре прошлого года сел, после 675 дней на орбите.

ЦитироватьБеспилотный космический самолет X-37B, который является одной из секретных технологий ВВС США, готовится к очередному запуску в рамках миссии Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) 4. Как обычно запуск, назначенный на 20 мая 2015 года, будет производиться с космодрома на мысе Канаверал и когда этот небольшой космический корабль выйдет на околоземную орбиту он произведет "боевые" испытания нового ионного двигателя на основе эффекта Холла.
Космический корабль X-37B, который напоминает Шаттл в миниатюре, является одним из двух идентичных аппаратов, построенных компанией Boeing Phantom Works. В настоящее время эти два космических корабля совершили три длительных космических полета, пробыв на околоземной орбите 1367 суток в общей сложности. Задачи, которые решали эти аппараты в космосе, покрыты тайной, а руководства американских ВВС отделывается лишь отговорками об испытаниях технологий космических аппаратов многократного использования.
Ионные двигатели Холла, которые помогут кораблю X-37B выполнить его миссию, являются ионными двигателями, весьма похожими на ионные двигатели, которые позволили исследовательскому космическому аппарату Dawn побывать возле астероида Веста, добраться до карликовой планеты Церера, установив по пути рекорд скорости перемещения в космическом пространстве. Ионные двигатели используют электроны для ионизации атомов инертного газа, ксенона, которые затем ускоряются при помощи электрических полей и вырабатывают реактивную тягу. Хотя вырабатываемая ионным двигателем сила тяги эквивалентна весу листа бумаги, двигатель чрезвычайно эффективнее и может непрерывно работать в течение многих лет, разгоняя космический аппарат до очень высоких скоростей.
Экспериментальный ионный двигатель Холла был разработан совместными усилиями специалистов Научно-исследовательской лаборатории ВВС США (Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL), центра Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) и управления Rapid Capabilities Office (CRO). Он, в сущности, является модернизированным вариантом двигателей, используемых на первых трех спутниках системы военной космической связи Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF).
Когда, находясь на околоземной орбите, космический корабль X-37B включит ионный двигатель, начнется передача на Землю потока телеметрических данных, которые будут содержать информацию о функционировании и режимах работы двигателя, о силе вырабатываемой им тяги и о многом другом. Собранные в ходе экспериментального запуска данные будут использоваться для улучшения конструкции очередных ионных двигателей, которые уже будут предназначаться для фактической работы на орбите.

ЦитироватьPhotos: Atlas 5 and X-37B mated together for upcoming launch       
Posted on May 8, 2015 by Justin Ray (http://spaceflightnow.com/author/justin-sfn-ray/)
          
CAPE CANAVERAL — The Air Force's miniature space shuttle and its ride to orbit have been joined together inside an assembly building at Cape Canaveral in preparation for launch May 20.
The X-37B spaceplane will be boosted into space atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, flying in its 501 varient with a big payload fairing and no solid boosters.
Stacking of the 196-foot-tall rocket was completed Thursday as crews hoisted the payload, already encapsulated in its 18-foot-diameter nose cone, into position aboard the Centaur upper stage.
The spaceplane, also known as an Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, had been prepared for flight at a separate facility. It is carrying at least two experiments — a NASA materials exposure investigation and an Air Force electric propulsion thruster test.
The fully assembled Atlas vehicle will be rolled out aboard its mobile launch platform from the Vertical Integration Facility to the pad at Complex 41 on May 19.
It will be the fourth flight of an X-37B into orbit. Atlas 5 rockets have launched the three previous flights as well.
See our earlier launch coverage (http://spaceflightnow.com/tag/av-054/).
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ЦитироватьULA @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) · 4m ago (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/600649000904105984)

The #AtlasV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlasV?src=hash) with #AFSPC5 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFSPC5?src=hash) is rolling to the launch pad!

ЦитироватьPhotos: Atlas 5 on the pad for X-37B launch       
Posted on May 19, 2015 by Justin Ray (http://spaceflightnow.com/author/justin-sfn-ray/)     

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket stands poised for flight with the Air Force's X-37B spaceplane and a batch of CubeSats including the LightSail. The rocket was rolled to Complex 41 on Tuesday in preparation for launch on Wednesday.
Photo credit: Alex Polimeni / Spaceflight Now
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ЦитироватьCitizen-funded CubeSat ready to go solar sailing       
Posted on May 19, 2015 by Stephen Clark (http://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/154683.jpg) (http://spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/20140709_LightSail1_Earth.jpg)
Credit: Josh Spradling / The Planetary Society
 
A shoebox-sized satellite conceived and funded by members of the Planetary Society, an advocacy organization co-founded by Carl Sagan, is fastened to an Atlas 5 rocket for launch Wednesday to test one of the late celebrity-astronomer's futuristic concepts for exploring the cosmos.
Sagan and other proponents of solar sailing pitch the technology as a way to cheaply glide through the solar system, harnessing energy fr om sunlight to slightly nudge a spacecraft toward its destination.
The solar sail prototype is going to an orbit a few hundred miles above Earth, wh ere atmospheric drag will overpower any propulsion from the sun. A follow-up mission next year will try to use sun beams to change its orbit.
"We won't fly high enough above the Earth's atmosphere for solar sailing, due to atmospheric drag, but we'll do critical tests of several systems over a 28+ day mission, including a zero-gravity test of our sail deployment sequence and attempt to snap pictures documenting the operation of the booms that support the sails," the Planetary Society wrote on in a summary of the mission.
The satellite, named LightSail, is among a clutch of small payloads fastened to an Atlas 5 rocket for launch Wednesday with the U.S. Air Force's X-37B spaceplane.
If everything goes according to plan, LightSail will spring-eject from its pod mounted to the aft bulkhead of the Atlas 5's Centaur upper stage, deploy its power-generating solar panels. Engineers on Earth will check the satellite's readiness for its big moment, which is set to come about four weeks after liftoff.
Four triangular mylar sails wound up inside the tiny satellite for launch will unfurl to cover an area of 344 square feet.
The spacecraft is about the size of a loaf of bread and weighs about 10 pounds. It is a three-unit version of the popular CubeSat platform, which companies, governments and research institutions are increasingly using to try out innovative technologies at a fraction of the cost of traditional space missions.
Construction of the spacecraft was funded by private citizens and donors, and NASA is paying for LightSail's ride into orbit.
The Planetary Society says the project's total cost is $5.45 million. The group launched a Kickstarter page requesting donations from the public to cover $1.2 million of the cost.
Engineers are preparing a similar spacecraft for launch in 2016 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, which will boost the second LightSail platform to a higher orbit for a full-up solar sailing demo.
LightSail follows other solar sail projects launched by Japan and NASA.
"Through this proof-of-concept mission, we will use CubeSats to open new paths beyond Earth and, one day, potentially to other planets with an inexpensive, inexhaustible means of propulsion: photons, solar energy in its purest form," Planetary Society chief executive Bill Nye wrote on the LightSail Kickstarter page.
"Imagine it: unlimited free energy from the Sun will provide CubeSats with propulsion and revolutionize access to space for low-cost citizen projects—projects like ours or by teams of students and faculty at universities," Nye wrote. "This means that spacecraft, especially small ones like CubeSats, won't have to carry heavy fuels into orbit, and that the acceleration will be continuous."

ЦитироватьС мыса Канаверал в четвертый раз будет запущен секретный космический корабль Х-37В
 Новый космический аппарат действует в полностью автономном режиме и может использоваться несколько раз
 
НЬЮ-ЙОРК, 20 мая. /Корр. ТАСС Игорь Борисенко/. С космодрома на мысе Канаверал в среду должна стартовать ракета-носитель Atlas V с американским военным кораблем многоразового использования Х-37В. Как сообщила отвечающая за запуск Atlas V компания United Launch Alliance, стартовое окно ограничено периодом с 10:45 до 14:45 по местному времени (17:45 - 21:45 мск).
По данным информационного агентства АП, запуск запланирован на 11:05 по местному времени (18:05 мск). Этот полет секретного "космического самолета" Х-37В будет уже четвертым, три предыдущих также начинались с мыса Канаверал.
"Загадочный испытательный аппарат спроектирован таким образом, чтобы выходить на орбиту, а затем приземляться, подобно кораблям многоразового использования типа Space Shuttle. Новый корабль действует в полностью автономном режиме и может использоваться несколько раз", - отметило агентство. Длина корабля - 29 футов (8,83 метра), то есть он в четыре раза меньше, чем Space Shuttle. Самый длительный полет Х-37В продолжался 675 суток. Продолжительность предстоящего полета официально не объявлена.
Программа Х-37 начиналась под эгидой NASA в 1999 году, и первоначально этот аппарат предназначался для ремонта спутников на орбите, однако в 2004 году программа была засекречена и передана в ведение ВВС США. Первый орбитальный полет состоялся в апреле 2010 года, второй - в марте 2011, третий - в декабре 2012 года. Представители ВВС и Космического командования вооруженных сил США лишь информировали об очередных полетах таких кораблей и их возвращении на Землю, указывая всякий раз, что аппарат "проводил на орбите эксперименты" и его миссия завершилась успешно.
Статья расходов в военном бюджете США, по которой финансируется эта программа, также засекречена. Между тем, по сведениям американских СМИ, в распоряжении Пентагона сейчас находятся два таких корабля, созданных корпорацией Boeing. Они оборудованы небольшими грузовыми отсеками и солнечными батареями.
По мнению экспертов, такие аппараты могут быть использованы для решения достаточно широкого круга задач: от испытания новых технологий до доставки в космос разведывательных спутников. Потенциально на них могут быть установлены вооружения, но Пентагон заверяет, что это не входит в его планы.
В качестве дополнительной полезной нагрузки в головной отсек ракеты-носителя Atlas V помещен "солнечный парус", который планируется использовать в рамках проверки новых технологий.

Цитировать http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_SECRET_SPACE_PLANE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-05-19-14-02-47
(AP) 

ЦитироватьNASA has a materials experiment aboard, while the Planetary Society is tagging along with a solar-sail demo.
Although largely mum about this X-37B flight, the Air Force has acknowledged a thruster experiment involving electric propulsion. Air Force researchers want to check design modifications to ion thrusters already flying on some advanced military communication satellites.

Цитироватьтавот пишет:
Где можно будет посмотреть трансляцию ?

Цитироватьтавот пишет:
И я правильно понял, что кубосатов всего 10 ?

Цитировать0840 GMT (4:40 a.m. EDT)
 In today's first weather briefing to mission managers, all current conditions are observed GO for launch of the Atlas 5 rocket and odds for the launch period stand at 60 percent favorable. The main concern that meteorologists are watching are cumulus and anvil clouds and lightning potential.
The outlook predicts scattered clouds at 3,000 and 30,000 feet, isolated showers, good visibility, southwesterly winds of 10 gusting to 13 knots, a temperature in the low 80s degrees F.
The Atlas-Centaur rocket has been powered up at Complex 41 and guidance system testing is getting started for today's launch, as the countdown progresses as planned.
 
0800 GMT (4:00 a.m. EDT)
 The countdown is beginning for today's launch of the Atlas 5 rocket to haul the Air Force's X-37B reusable spaceplane back into orbit.
Clocks are picking up the seven-hour sequence of work that will prepare the booster, payload and ground systems for blastoff some time after 10:45 a.m. EDT (1445 GMT).
The exact launch time is yet to be announced.
Soon the launch team will begin powering up the rocket to commence standard pre-flight tests. Over the subsequent few hours, final preps for the Centaur's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen systems will be performed, along with a test of the rocket's guidance system and the first stage propulsion and hydraulic preps, internal battery checks and testing of the GPS metric tracking system used to follow the rocket as it flies downrange, plus a test of the S-band telemetry relay system.
A planned hold begins when the count reaches T-minus 120 minutes. Near the end of the hold, the team will be polled to verify all is in readiness to start fueling the rocket for launch.
Supercold liquid oxygen begins flowing into the Centaur upper stage, followed by the first stage filling. Liquid hydrogen fuel loading for Centaur will be completed a short time later.
A final hold is scheduled at the T-minus 4 minute mark. That pause will give everyone a chance to finish any late work and assess the status of the rocket, payload, Range and weather before proceeding into the last moments of the countdown.
The unclassified launch period extends to 2:45 p.m. EDT (1845 GMT).
 
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015
 A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket topped by the Air Force's X-37B miniature space shuttle rolled onto the perch at the launch pad Tuesday morning, poised for liftoff Wednesday fr om Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 to deliver the spaceplane into orbit.
Liftoff of the Orbital Test Vehicle mission No. 4 is slated for some time after 10:45 a.m. EDT. The exact time remains classified until launch morning.
The 20-story-tall booster was wheeled out aboard a mobile platform, emerging from the assembly building wh ere the rocket's two stages and the payload were integrated over the past few weeks.
The slow drive from the 30-story Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad, which began shortly after 9 a.m., used a pair of specially-made "trackmobiles" to carry the rocket's 1.4-million pound mobile launching platform along rail tracks for the 1,800-foot trip.
The launch will deliver the X-37B into a low-Earth orbit. Deployment of the spacecraft occurs less than 20 minutes after liftoff.
On Monday, officials from United Launch Alliance and the Air Force gathered for the Launch Readiness Review. All systems were verified ready to proceed with today's rollout and the start of launch pad operations.
The rocket is flying the 501 vehicle configuration for the sixth time in 54 flights. The version features two stages and a five-meter-diameter nose cone. It is powered off the launch pad by an RD AMROSS RD-180 main engine. The Centaur upper stage is equipped with an Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10.
Countdown clocks begin ticking seven hours before launch, leading to activation of the rocket, final testing and system preps.
The day's launch period begins at 10:45 a.m.and closes at 2:45 p.m. EDT. The usable launch window, which remains classified, falls within that broad, four-hour period.
There is a 60 percent chance of acceptable weather, with conditions expected to be more favorable earlier in the period than later.

Цитироватьтавот пишет:
Во сколько начало трансляции и где ? Никак не могу найти.

Цитироватьтавот пишет:
и где ?

ЦитироватьLanista пишет:
Я же выше дал ссылку, там для даунов все расписано, неужели непонятно?

ЦитироватьLanista пишет:

Цитироватьтавот пишет:
и где ?

Я же выше дал ссылку, там для даунов все расписано, неужели непонятно?

смотреть можно с 17.00, до этого мало чего интересного, пуск 17.15.

 http://www.ulalaunch.com/webcast.aspx
 http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ustream.html#.VVyFmkaUL6Y

ЦитироватьSpaceflight Now ‏@SpaceflightNow  (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 26 сек.26 секунд назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/601018442813153280)

Launch of the Atlas 5 rocket is just 90 minutes away! T-0 at 11:05amEDT (1505 GMT). http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/05/19/av054journal/ ... (http://t.co/OYXSVckNi8)

Цитировать1355 GMT (9:55 a.m. EDT)
Fast-filling of the first stage liquid oxygen tank has been completed. Topping mode is now underway.

1354 GMT (9:54 a.m. EDT)
The liquid hydrogen tank in the Centaur upper stage just reached the 97 percent level. Topping is now beginning.

1345 GMT (9:45 a.m. EDT)
Centaur's liquid hydrogen tank is 40 percent full. The cryogenic propellant will be consumed with liquid oxygen by the stage's Aerojet Rocketdyne-made RL10 engine.

1341 GMT (9:41 a.m. EDT)
The first stage liquid oxygen has reached the 70 percent level.

1336 GMT (9:36 a.m. EDT)
Chilldown of the liquid hydrogen system has been accomplished. The launch team has received the "go" to begin filling the Centaur upper stage with the supercold fuel.

1335 GMT (9:35 a.m. EDT)
Launch of the Atlas 5 rocket is just 90 minutes away.

1333 GMT (9:33 a.m. EDT)
Half of the Atlas liquid oxygen tank has been filled so far.

1327 GMT (9:27 a.m. EDT)
 Upper stage liquid oxygen has reached flight level.
 
1325 GMT (9:25 a.m. EDT)
 First stage liquid oxygen tank is 30 percent full thus far. Chilled to Minus-298 degrees F, the liquid oxygen will be used with RP-1 kerosene by the RD-180 main engine on the first stage during the initial four-and-a-half minutes of flight today. The 25,000 gallons of RP-1 were loaded into the rocket yesterday.
 
1320 GMT (9:20 a.m. EDT)
 The Centaur liquid oxygen tank reached the 96 percent level. The topping off process is starting now.
 
1315 GMT (9:15 a.m. EDT)
 The first stage liquid oxygen flow rate is switching from slow-fill to fast-fill mode.
 
1312 GMT (9:12 a.m. EDT)
 The chilldown conditioning of liquid hydrogen propellant lines at Complex 41 is starting to prepare the plumbing for transferring the Minus-423 degree F fuel into the rocket. The Centaur holds about 12,700 gallons of the cryogenic propellant.
 
1311 GMT (9:11 a.m. EDT)
 Now three-quarters full on Centaur liquid oxygen.
 
1306 GMT (9:06 a.m. EDT)
 The chilldown conditioning of the systems for the first stage liquid oxygen tank have been completed. And a "go" has been given to begin pumping supercold liquid oxygen into the Atlas 5's first stage.
The Common Core Booster stage's liquid oxygen tank is the largest tank to be filled today. It holds 49,000 gallons of cryogenic oxidizer for the RD-180 main engine.
 
1305 GMT (9:05 a.m. EDT)
 Fifty percent of the Centaur liquid oxygen tank has been filled so far.
 
1258 GMT (8:58 a.m. EDT)
 The Centaur liquid oxygen tank has reached the 20 percent mark.
 
1250 GMT (8:50 a.m. EDT)
 Filling of the Centaur upper stage with about 4,150 gallons of liquid oxygen has begun at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 following the thermal conditioning of the transfer pipes.
The liquid oxygen -- chilled to Minus-298 degrees F -- will be consumed during the launch by the Centaur's single RL10 engine along with liquid hydrogen to be pumped into the stage a little later in the countdown. The Centaur will provide the thrust to put X-37B into orbit.
 
1243 GMT (8:43 a.m. EDT)
 The Centaur liquid oxygen pad storage area has been prepped. The next step is conditioning the transfer lines, which is now beginning to prepare the plumbing for flowing the cryogenic oxidizer.
 
1235 GMT (8:35 a.m. EDT)
 T-minus 120 minutes and counting! The launch countdown is continuing on schedule for today's flight of the Atlas 5 rocket with the Orbital Test Vehicle No. 4 aboard.
Clocks have one more built-in hold planned at T-minus 4 minutes. During that pause the final "go" for launch will be given. All remains targeted for liftoff at 11:05 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41.
In the next couple of minutes, chilldown thermal conditioning of the mobile launch platform upon which the rocket stands will begin. This is meant to ease the shock on equipment when supercold cryogenic propellants start flowing into the rocket.
 
1233 GMT (8:33 a.m. EDT)
 After briefing his team on procedures before entering into the final two hours of the countdown, the launch conductor at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center just held a pre-fueling readiness poll. All console operators reported a "ready" status.
The ULA launch director also voiced his approval for proceeding with the countdown.
Loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen into the Atlas 5 rocket will be getting underway a short time from now.

1205 GMT (8:05 a.m. EDT)
 T-minus 2 hours and holding. The countdown has just entered the first of two planned holds over the course of the day that will lead to the 11:05 a.m. EDT launch of the Atlas rocket. The holds give the team some margin in the countdown timeline to deal with technical issues or any work that is running behind. The final hold is scheduled to occur at T-minus 4 minutes.
 
1130 GMT (7:30 a.m. EDT)
 LAUNCH TIME. A pair of 10-minute launch windows will be avaialble for the X-37B to take flight aboard the Atlas 5 rocket today. Liftoff is targeted for 11:05 a.m. EDT (1505 GMT). A backup opportunity begins at 12:42 p.m. EDT (1642 GMT).

Цитировать1437 GMT (10:37 a.m. EDT)
 Weather remains GO for liftoff based on the current conditions and expected to stay favorable for an 11:05 a.m. EDT launch today. Forecasters are predicting conditions to worsen as the afternoon goes along.
 
1435 GMT (10:35 a.m. EDT)
 Thirty minutes from liftoff.
 
1431 GMT (10:31 a.m. EDT)
 T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the planned 30-minute hold to give the launch team a chance to review all systems and assess the weather before pressing ahead with liftoff.
 
1430 GMT (10:30 a.m. EDT)
 T-minus 5 minutes. Standing by to go into the final built-in hold.
 
1425 GMT (10:25 a.m. EDT)
 Now 40 minutes till launch. Rumbling away from the planet on nearly a million pounds of thrust, the Atlas 5 rocket will be flying in a basic, two-stage configuration without any added strap-on solid motors. The vehicle sports a voluminous nose cone that encapsulates the X-37B spaceplane during the atmospheric ascent before being shed.
In technical speak, this is the Atlas 5-501 configuration that has successfully flown five times. The first was the original X-37B launch in April 2010.
With the liftoff thrust not considerably more than the rocket's weight, this Atlas will display a slow and majestic rise trailing only a flickering golden flame from its RD-180 main engine.
Once above the launch pad, the rocket sets sail for the eastward trek downrange over the Atlantic Ocean, constantly gaining speed as its double-nozzle engine gulps 25,000 gallons of kerosene fuel and 50,000 gallons of superchilled liquid oxygen in just four-and-a-half minutes.
The bronze first stage, its propellants depleted and job now completed, then jettisons with the help of tiny thrusters. Some 106.5 feet long and 12.5 feet around, the stage is discarded to fall back into the open sea.
The cryogenic Centaur upper stage ignites moments after shedding the lower booster, lighting the RL10 engine to continue clawing toward orbit.
Covered with insulating foam, this stage stretches 41.5 feet in length and 10 feet in diameter. Centaur must perform the full burn to loft X-37B into the proper orbit around the planet.
 
1419 GMT (10:19 a.m. EDT)
 The fuel-fill sequence for the first stage main engine is starting.
 
1415 GMT (10:15 a.m. EDT)
 Atlas 5 represents the culmination of evolution stretching back several decades to America's first intercontinental ballistic missile. At the dawn of the space age, boosters named Atlas launched men into orbit during Project Mercury and became a frequent vehicle of choice to haul civil, military and commercial spacecraft to orbit.
Topped with the high-energy Centaur upper stage, Atlas rockets have been used since the 1960s to dispatch ground-breaking missions for NASA, including the Surveyors to the Moon, Mariner flights to Mars, Venus and Mercury, and the Pioneers that were the first to visit Jupiter and beyond.
In its newest era, the Atlas 5 rocket sent the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to the red planet in 2005, propelled the New Horizons probe toward Pluto and the solar system's outer fringes in 2006, doubled up with the dual Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS impactor to the Moon in 2009, hurled Juno to Jupiter in August 2011 and dispatched the car-sized Curiosity rover on the Mars Science Lab mission in November 2013.
Today marks the 54th flight for Atlas 5, born of the Air Force's competition to develop next-generation Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles. In its previous 53 missions since debuting in August 2002, the Atlas 5 has flown 19 flights dedicated to the Defense Department, 12 for NASA, 11 with spy satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office. and 11 commercial missions with communications and Earth-observing spacecraft.
 
1405 GMT (10:05 a.m. EDT)
 Now 60 minutes from liftoff. Fueling of the Atlas rocket with cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen is complete as the countdown continues as planned for a liftoff at 11:05 a.m. EDT.

Цитировать1450 GMT (10:50 a.m. EDT)
The Atlas 5 rocket stands 20 stories tall and weighs 757,000 pounds at launch.

1446 GMT (10:46 a.m. EDT)
No problems being reported by the launch team. Countdown continues to sit in the hold period at T-minus 4 minutes, waiting for the launch window to open at 11:05 a.m. EDT.

1440 GMT (10:40 a.m. EDT)
Here's a look at some stats about today's mission. This will be:

 The 636th launch for Atlas program since 1957
 The 342nd Atlas launch from Cape Canaveral
 The 225th mission of a Centaur upper stage
 The 202nd use of Centaur by an Atlas rocket
 The 44th Atlas 5 launch from Cape Canaveral
 The 458th production RL10 engine to be launched
 The 60th flight of the RD-180 main engine
 The 54th launch of an Atlas 5 since 2002
 The 20th Air Force mission for an Atlas 5
 The 83rd Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle flight
 The 96th United Launch Alliance flight overall
 The 64th United Launch Alliance flight from Cape Canaveral
 The 46th Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
 The 19th 500-series flight of the Atlas 5
 The 6th Atlas 5 to fly in the 501 configuration
 The 3rd Atlas 5 launch of 2015

ЦитироватьAn American Atlas V rocket in the 501 configuration has successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral carrying the US Air Force's X-37B spaceplane, a smaller version of the Space Shuttle. This will be the fourth mission of the X-37B which conducts top secret missions in orbit via payloads in it's payload bay. Liftoff occurred at 11:05 Local time, 15:05 UTC time on May 20th 2015.

Цитировать1510 GMT (11:10 a.m. EDT)
 And with that, the launch will go under a veil of secrecy. Confirmation that the Orbital Test Vehicle has arrived in space or separated from the Centaur won't be announced live.
 
1509 GMT (11:09 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 4 minutes, 44 seconds. Centaur has ignited! The RL10 engine is up and running at full thrust for its firing to propel X-37B to orbit.
 
1509 GMT (11:09 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 4 minutes, 33 seconds. The Atlas 5's Common Core Booster first stage has been jettisoned, and the Centaur upper stage's liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are being readied for engine start.
 
1509 GMT (11:09 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 4 minutes, 25 seconds. BECO. Booster Engine Cutoff is confirmed as the RD-180 powerplant on the first stage completes its burn. Standing by to fire the retro thrusters and separate the spent stage.
 
1508 GMT (11:08 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 3 minutes, 50 seconds. The two-halves of the Atlas 5 rocket nose cone encapsulating the X-37B spaceplane have separated. The Orbital Test Vehicle is now exposed to space. Also jettisoned was the Forward Load Reactor, a two-piece deck that rings the Centaur stage to support the bulbous fairing during launch.
 
1508 GMT (11:08 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 3 minutes, 20 seconds. RD-180 is performing well as the rocket climbs away from the planet.
 
1507 GMT (11:07 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The vehicle now weighs half of what it did at liftoff. Everything still looking good.
 
1507 GMT (11:07 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 2 minutes. The RD-180 main engine continues to fire normally, burning a mixture of highly refined kerosene and liquid oxygen.
 
1506 GMT (11:06 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 105 seconds. The engine throttle setting is easing back to 95 percent thrust.
 
1506 GMT (11:06 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 90 seconds. Mach 1.
 
1506 GMT (11:06 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 60 seconds. One minute into the ascent as the Atlas 5 climbs away from the Cape, the X-37B spaceplane riding inside the nose cone en route to orbit.
 
1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 45 seconds. Good engine performance.
 
1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)
 T+plus 30 seconds. The vehicle is thundering away from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 on 860,000 pounds of thrust from the RD-180 main engine.
 
1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)
 LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Atlas 5 rocket with the X-37B mini shuttle for its fourth trip to space. And the tower is clear!

ЦитироватьSam Grey пишет:
Тяжело как-то пошла вначале, или показалось?

ЦитироватьJason Davis @jasonrdavis (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis) · 1m ago (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis/status/601072326864666625)

P-POD 8 deployment! #LightSail (https://twitter.com/hashtag/LightSail?src=hash) is in orbit!

ЦитироватьJason Davis @jasonrdavis (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis) · 1m ago (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis/status/601074136677507073)

Official #LightSail (https://twitter.com/hashtag/LightSail?src=hash) deployment time: 17:05:40.620 (UTC). We were the last P-POD. Thanks for the ride, @ulalaunch (https://twitter.com/ulalaunch) Centaur!

Цитироватьche wi пишет:

Цитировать   Jason Davis  @jasonrdavis   ·  1m ago (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis/status/601072326864666625)

P-POD 8 deployment!  #LightSail (https://twitter.com/hashtag/LightSail?src=hash)  is in orbit!

ЦитироватьJames Dean @flatoday_jdean (https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean) · 2m ago (https://twitter.com/flatoday_jdean/status/601075846003236864)

ULA has confirmed successful deployment of 10 CubeSats hitching ride on Atlas V's Centaur stage, including @exploreplanets (https://twitter.com/exploreplanets)' LightSail.

ЦитироватьJason Davis ‏@jasonrdavis  (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis) · 1h ago (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis/status/601098321294454785)

Early take on data: mostly nominal. Batteries and temps close to expected ranges. Tumble rates X, Y, Z: -7, -0.1, -0.3 deg/sec. #LightSail (https://twitter.com/hashtag/LightSail?src=hash)

ЦитироватьЧуи пишет:

Очень необычно: голливудский пафос насчет секретности - и внезапно 10 штук каких-то левых кубсатов! Что-то не верится, чтобы наши военные пустили свой аппарат с попутной гражданской нагрузкой.

Цитироватьche wi пишет:
Информация о кубсатах:
 http://www.ulalaunch.com/uploads/docs/Launch/AtlasV_AFSPC-5_ULTRASat_CubeSat_descriptions.pdf

ЦитироватьВВК пишет:

Мои поздравления Энергомашу

ЦитироватьPasadena, Ca. (May 26, 2015) – After a successful launch into orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket out of Cape Canaveral, The Planetary Society's LightSail™ spacecraft went silent after two days of communications. The solar sailing spacecraft test mission, a precursor to a 2016 mission, has been paused while engineers explore a suspected software glitch that is believed to have affected communications. A reboot is necessary to continue the mission. Upon reboot, the LightSail team may initiate manual deployment of the spacecraft's Mylar® solar sails. Bill Nye (The Science Guy), CEO at The Planetary Society, issued the following statement:

"A problem like this teaches you more about your spacecraft than a mission that's trouble-free. This is our test flight, and we have a healthy spacecraft in a stable orbit. Soon, we expect our little LightSail to reboot on its own, and we can get down to business up there. After 39 years, I can hang in for a few more weeks."

Цитироватьche wi пишет:

Проблемы с парусником.

ЦитироватьАлександр Ч. пишет:

речь идёт об исчерпании доступной памяти в 32Мб

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:

Краундфайндинг (http://satobs.org/seesat/May-2015/0190.html) , организованный Грегом Робертсом, принёс положительные результаты.

ЦитироватьX-37B spaceplane's orbit discovered       
Posted on May 27, 2015 by Justin Ray (http://spaceflightnow.com/author/justin-sfn-ray/)  
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/154698.jpg) (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/154698.jpg)
Credit: Boeing
 
CAPE CANAVERAL — Hobbyists who keep track of the skies with remarkable precision have found the U.S. Air Force's mini space shuttle in its no-longer-secret orbit around the Earth.
The X-37B craft, making the program's fourth mission into space, was launched May 20 from Cape Canaveral atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket.
The ascent entered a news blackout about five minutes after liftoff, as the Centaur upper stage began its burn to put the spaceplane into low-Earth orbit.
It wasn't until later that officials confirmed the launch had gone smoothly for the Orbital Test Vehicle mission No. 4. It is believed the Centaur deployed X-37B about 19 minutes into flight.
Observers this week spotted the craft flying overhead in a 194 by 202 mile orbit (312 X 325 km), tilted 38 degrees relative to the equator.
That perch is lower than previous X-37B missions and the inclination is lower, too.
"OTV 4 entered the lowest initial altitude of the program," said Ted Molczan, a respected satellite observing hobbyist.
"The ground track nearly repeats every 2 days. Frequently repeating ground tracks have been a common feature of the program. This could be an indication of a surveillance mission, or it may offer some operational advantage I have yet to figure out."
Although the Air Force revealed two experiments to be conducted on this fourth mission — an electric propulsion thruster test and materials exposure in the space environment — much was classified about the flight, including the orbit, mission duration and even which of the two X-37B spaceplanes is making the trip.
"The X-37B testbed platform is unique because we can tailor to specific user needs and return experiments back to post-flight inspection," said Ken Torok, Boeing's director of experimental systems.
"Reliability, reusability and responsiveness of the X-37B will fundamentally change how we perform future space missions."
OTV 1 (first flight of Vehicle No. 1)
 Launch: April 22, 2010
 Landing: Dec. 3 2010
 Duration: 224 days
OTV 2 (first flight of Vehicle No. 2)
 Launch: March 5, 2011
 Landing: June 16, 2012
 Duration: 469 days
OTV 3 (second flight of Vehicle No. 1)
 Launch: Dec. 11, 2012
 Landing: Oct. 17, 2014
 Duration: 675 days
"These missions have proven the reliability and flexibility of the system to support a variety of experiments," Torok said.

ЦитироватьUpdate, June 1: Tomorrow's solar sail deployment has been rescheduled to Wednesday to allow for additional image capture and downlink testing.

Цитироватьтавот пишет:
Завтра раскрытие паруса. Удачи команде !

ЦитироватьJason Davis ‏@jasonrdavis  (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis) · 4h ago (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis/status/605752767643189249)

May push sail deployment to Thurs or Fri. Still finalizing ops flow for deleting test imagery, verifying cams ready.

ЦитироватьThe LightSail test spacecraft has fallen silent for a second time, less than a day after completing what appeared to be a successful solar panel deployment. Mission managers believe the CubeSat's batteries are in a safe mode-like condition designed to protect the electronics until power levels are safe for operations.

In an e-mail summary sent this afternoon, mission manager David Spencer said before contact was lost, LightSail's batteries did not appear to be drawing current from the solar arrays; nor were they properly shunting power to the spacecraft's subsystems.

"Following solar panel deployment," he wrote, "it was noticed that all of the battery cells were drawing near zero current. This indicated that the batteries were likely in a fault condition stemming from the solar panel deployment event." 

ЦитироватьWhile the deployment commands were being sent from CalPoly, our team here at TPS Headquarters was listening in to all the excitement! While deploying sails, the motor count goes from 0 to 134,200. The reading that 18,000 motor spins had occurred was the announcement we were waiting for!

ЦитироватьЗависимость положения нижней границы радиационного пояса — долготная (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0). Над Атлантикой (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%82%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0) возрастание интенсивности начинается на высоте 500 км, а над Индонезией (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%98%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%8F) на высоте 1300 км.

ЦитироватьПосторонний пишет:
Мне интересно, что может дать парус на орбите? Космический аппарат двигается по элипсоидной траектории, освещается Солнцем как с одной, так и с другой стороны. То есть на околоземной орбите он совершенно бесполезен. Такие устройства надо испытывать в межпланетном пространстве.

ЦитироватьПосторонний пишет:
Процессор ЭВМ работает под управлением GNU/Linux, скорее всего не предназначен для работы в условиях повышенной радиации. Как разработчикам удалось его защитить от протонной радиации?

ЦитироватьKapYar пишет:

Солнце будет выглядеть как точка только с очень плотным светофильтром,

ЦитироватьПосторонний пишет:

Процессор ЭВМ работает под управлением GNU/Linux, скорее всего не предназначен для работы в условиях повышенной радиации. Как разработчикам удалось его защитить от протонной радиации?

Цитироватьтавот пишет:

ЦитироватьKapYar пишет:

Солнце будет выглядеть как точка только с очень плотным светофильтром,

Кат точку Солнце можно наблюдать где нибудь с Плутона, а на Земле его угловой размер равен 1 градус, такой же как и у полной Луны. Иначе бы мы не наблюдали солнечных затмений.

ЦитироватьАлександр Ч. пишет:

Цитироватьтавот   пишет:

ЦитироватьKapYar пишет:

Солнце будет выглядеть как точка только с очень плотным светофильтром,

Кат точку Солнце можно наблюдать где нибудь с Плутона, а на Земле его угловой размер равен 1 градус, такой же как и у полной Луны. Иначе бы мы не наблюдали солнечных затмений.

При наблюдении с поверхности Земли угловой размер дисков Луны и Солнца составляет 0,5°

Цитироватьpkl пишет:
Развёртывать парус, вестимо.

ЦитироватьSerge пишет:

слишком маленький размер и что то о системе управления вообще ничего.

Цитироватьтавот пишет: 
На LightSail система ориентации на гироскопах. Какой то глюк был с этими гироскопами сразу после выхода из P-POD.

ЦитироватьSerge пишет:
Он там такой маленький и система не центробежная же, на штангах, как я понял. То есть как только начнут делать что то более менее большое, все надо будет делать с нуля. Учитывая ошибки с программированием такое ощущение что просто учились делать хоть что то. Первые шаги.

ЦитироватьИ еще вот такой вопрос появился - а если у нас кто нибудь захочет сделать подобный спутник - его попутно на орбиту закинут, в научных целях, или только за деньги ?

Цитироватьpkl пишет:

Можно затеять под крышей какого-нибудь университета. Особенно интересны те, которые УЖЕ запускают ИСЗ /МГУ, СКАУ и т.п./.

Цитировать https://nplus1.ru/news/2015/06/15/lightsail-reentry
Космический аппарат «LightSail-A» вошел в плотные слои атмосферы спустя семь дней вращения на околоземной орбите. Об этом сообщает в своем твиттере (https://twitter.com/jasonrdavis/status/610209356341088256) Джейсон Дэвис, редактор сайта Планетарного общества США, со ссылкой на сайт Satobs.org (http://www.satobs.org/LightSail-A.html), объединяющий наблюдения за спутниками любителей астрономии со всего мира.
По данные сайта, снижение орбиты спутника до ключевой отметки 200 километров произошло 14 июня в 20:23 по московскому времени. Такую оценку приводит Тед Молчжан, которого Дэвис отмечает как крайне надежный источник.
 .....
Полет «LightSail-A» был признан руководством миссии успешным — несмотря на ряд сложностей (https://nplus1.ru/news/2015/05/28/planetary-fail), спутник успешно развернул (https://nplus1.ru/news/2015/06/08/lightsail-make-up) паруса, передал (https://nplus1.ru/news/2015/06/10/Lightsail-sail-photo) на Землю их фотографии и продержался на орбите неделю, что соответствует ранним оценкам специалистов (от двух до десяти дней). В апреле 2016 года ожидается запуск второго спутника программы — «LightSail-B». Он будет поднят ракета-носителем «Falcon Heavy» на более высокую орбиту, где влияние атмосферы будет слабее, чем давление солнечного света. Аппарат продемонстрирует возможность передвижения на световой тяге, ожидается, что его миссия продлится более 4 месяцев

ЦитироватьMike Gruss ‏@Gruss_SN  7m7 minutes ago
Air Force: X-37B is not landing today. Kennedy Space Center is conducting an exercise.

ЦитироватьName   OTV 4
NORAD #   40651
COSPAR designator   2015-025-A
Epoch (UTC)   2015-10-25 17:00:33
Inclination   38.020
RA of A. Node   17.996
Eccentricity   0.0006460
Argument of Perigee   207.434
Revs per day   15.73054533
Period   1h 31m 32s (91.53 min)
Semi-major axis   6 728 km
Perigee x Apogee   346 x 355 km
Mean anomaly   152.611

ЦитироватьРаскрыто предназначение секретного военного шаттла США (https://www.google.ru/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjh6__39prQAhXCCiwKHYQmCGoQqQIIGygAMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mail.ru%2Fsociety%2F27721657%2F&usg=AFQjCNF8orJWs_YACYg60PBCyw93fWN0zw&sig2=-RbpBmqLJF0qFqItHxmizw&bvm=bv.138169073,d.bGg&cad=rjt)
По мнению Холберга, такое космическое такси должно быть способно находиться на МКС не менее двух лет, доставить человека на Землю за три часа ...

Цитировать

ЦитироватьРаскрыто предназначение секретного военного шаттла США (https://www.google.ru/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjh6__39prQAhXCCiwKHYQmCGoQqQIIGygAMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mail.ru%2Fsociety%2F27721657%2F&usg=AFQjCNF8orJWs_YACYg60PBCyw93fWN0zw&sig2=-RbpBmqLJF0qFqItHxmizw&bvm=bv.138169073,d.bGg&cad=rjt)
По мнению Холберга

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF ‏@NASASpaceflight  (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 42 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/831261428258598914)
We're starting to see some restriction notices for airspace around the KSC SLF for tomorrow. Listen out for the X-37B sonic boom!

• (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156801.jpg)
  

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831270044046852097)
Looks like #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) is coming in tomorrow,as mentioned by @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) FAA indeed has a flight restriction around @NASAKennedy (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy) SLF
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156805.jpg)
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156807.jpg)
 

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 9 мин.9 минут назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831270044046852097)
Looks like #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) is coming in tomorrow,as mentioned by @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) FAA indeed has a flight restriction around @NASAKennedy (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy) SLF
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156805.jpg)
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156807.jpg)
 
  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF ‏@NASASpaceflight  (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 11 мин.11 минут назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/831269604064362496)
Tuesday's going to be fun. X-37B landing. Ariane 5 launch with SKY Brasil-1 & Telkom-3S and ISRO PSLV (XL) launch Cartosat-1 and friends.
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156806.jpg)

  (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF ‏@NASASpaceflight  (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 43 мин.43 минуты назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/831261428258598914)
We're starting to see some restriction notices for airspace around the KSC SLF for tomorrow. Listen out for the X-37B sonic boom!
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156801.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185527.jpg) NASA Kennedy / KSC ‏@NASAKennedy  (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy/status/831254139367780352)
The eagle has landed! (Or taken flight, rather.) One of Kennedy Space Center's nesting pairs.
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156800.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 56 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831435379161100289)

2 NOTAMs (valid between 13:00&21:00UTC) for the #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) landing today are of interest, on the right an old shuttle entry groundtrack,
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156811.jpg)
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156812.jpg)

ЦитироватьAir Force's X-37B prepares for landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility
February 14, 2017 by Chris Gebhardt
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209001.jpg)
Not even two days after historic launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center was revived by SpaceX following retirement of the Space Shuttle, the historic Shuttle Landing Facility at the Florida spaceport will once again host an end of mission landing as the Air Force's X-37B mini spaceplane returns from a near two year mission on orbit.

Спойлер

Kennedy Space Center shines as a multi-user spaceport:
The retirement of the Shuttle fleet left a rather large hole in the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC's) ability to launch and conduct human orbital space operations.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208969.jpg)
At the conclusion of the historic reusable spaceplane program, NASA vowed to transition KSC from a single-user, single rocket facility into a multi-user, multi rocket spaceport for the 21st century (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/10/delving-deeper-kscs-transformation-multi-user-spaceport/).
The first two steps in that plan were the initiation of reconstruction efforts of pad 39B to prepare it for the ability to launch NASA's Space Launch System rocket (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=SLS) for Beyond Earth Orbit missions and the 2014 agreement for a 20-year lease of pad 39A to SpaceX for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/12/spacex-negotiations-new-life-pad39a/).
With the final Shuttle launch from pad 39A on 8 July 2011, the pad lay dormant as reconstructive efforts took place ahead of this past weekend's return of fire and thrust from rocket engines for SpaceX's static fire of the Falcon 9 rocket that will loft the SpX-10 mission to the Space Station later this week (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/02/fire-lc-39a-falcon-9-crs-10-launch/).
After Atlantis' final launch from Pad A, the vehicle returned for the final landing of the Shuttle program back at the Kennedy Space Center on 21 July 2011 (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/07/atlantis-kennedy-an-emotional-finale-for-shuttle/) – after which the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) has not since hosted an End Of Mission (EOM) landing of an orbital mission.
 
Today, weather permitting, that will change and two of the Kennedy Space Center's iconic elements will be back in operation within two days of each other.
With Boeing building and processing its CST-100 capsule (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=CST-100) inside former OPF Bay 3 as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Transportation services contract and last week's completion of platform installation in the VAB for SLS stacking operations (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/02/vab-platform-installation-sls-stacking/), the Kennedy Space Center is truly shining as a multi-user spaceport.
Specifically for the Air Force, the ability to use the SLF at Kennedy marks what is hoped to be the first of many uses of the SLF as the primary EOM landing facility for the X-37B – which the Air Force hopes to launch, land, and refurbish at KSC and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
In fact, after landing, the X-37B is expected to be towed to OPF-1 for post-flight servicing operations.
OTV-4 – Fourth flight for X-37B comes to an end:
The fourth flight of the Air Force's experimental X-37B spacecraft (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/05/atlas-v-x-37b-spaceplane-launch/) – assuming a landing on Tuesday, 14 February 2017 – will clock in at 636 days and 22 hours (approximate to its anticipated landing time).
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208971.jpg)
If all goes according to plan, the X-37B (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=X-37B) will approach the Kennedy Space Center for a landing around 0748 EST (1248 UTC) – though this time is approximate and based on orbital tracking observations of the X-37B.
Depending on the specific path the X-37B follows in its entry sequence – currently understood to be a descending node entry over portions of the United States and Florida – large swathes of Central Florida could be graced with twin sonic booms during the morning commute as the X-37B rather insistently heralds its arrival back home.
The ability for this fourth mission to attempt a return to the runway at Kennedy follows three highly successful, completely autonomous deorbit, entry, and landing sequences of the first three X-37B flights, which all ended with precise touchdowns at the runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208970.jpg)
OTV-2 and OTV-3 landed without incident following a blown tire that led to minor underbelly damage of the OTV-1 vehicle (which subsequently flew the OTV-3 mission).
With an expected mission duration of just under 637 days, the fourth flight of the X-37B program will not be the longest – with that distinction going to the OTV-3 flight which lasted 674 days and 22 hours.
Nonetheless, the mission will resoundingly beat the OTV-2 mission duration of 468 days and 14 hours and the OTV-1 mission duration of 224 days and 9 hours.
Moreover, the prolonged duration of the current and previous X-37B missions highlight the secretive nature of the spaceplane, its missions, end its designed orbital lifetime – which is currently listed as 270 days... something which three of the four missions to date have shattered.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/208999.jpg)
Presently, two X-37Bs are known to exist, with the first flying the OTV-1 and -3 missions and the second flying the OTV-2 and -4 (presumably) missions.
In all, each X-37B is 8.92 m (29 feet 3 inches) in length, has a 4.55 m (14 foot 11 inch)  wingspan, has a height of 2.9 m (9 feet 6 inches), and has a maximum lift off weight of 4,990 kg (11,000 lbs).
The vehicles are powered by gallium arsenide solar cells with Lithium-ion batteries and contain a 2.1 x 1.2 meters (7 feet x 4 feet) payload bay.
In preparation for landing at Kennedy, teams practiced landing drills and post-landing safing operations as well as emergency drills at the SLF last week.
The X-37B landing also helps explain the until now curious delay to SpaceX's SpX-10 launch of the resupply mission for the International Space Station which had originally been scheduled for the 14th as well.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209000.jpg)
When the SpaceX mission was delayed, it was stated that range assets necessary for the return to launch site landing of the Falcon 9 core stage were not available from 14-17 February, while all other range assets necessary for launch were available during that window.
While the secretive nature of the mission precludes any exact knowledge of the ground track the X-37B will take, a descending node reentry over large portions of the United States is the likely option given the landing window for the restricted air space in and around the Kennedy Space Center.
If a descending node entry does occur leading up to an approximate 0748 EST landing at Kennedy, the X-37B could put on quite a light show for portions of the United States as it reenters the atmosphere in the early morning darkness before crossing the night-day Terminator and heading for a post-sunrise landing in Florida.
(Images: USAF, ULA, Boeing, and NASA)
 
No related posts.

[свернуть]

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 25 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831460576962420736)
 
So, if the #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) is coming in to land at @NASAKennedy (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy) SLF for the first time, I'm expecting some air assets to be airborne, P3 or GLF

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 20 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831462017466769410)

My guess at which possible #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV?src=hash) landing airborne assets: a P3C with Castglance / HYTHIRM or a Gulfstream 2 with HALO-II

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF ‏@NASASpaceflight  (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 11 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/831490070578393089)

No X-37B spotted for this opportunity. She's keeping us guessing. #SecretiveBird (https://twitter.com/hashtag/SecretiveBird?src=hash) @CwG_NSF (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF) explains the scenarios:

• (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156823.jpg)
  

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/32560.jpg) We Report Space ‏@WeReportSpace  (https://twitter.com/WeReportSpace) 5 мин назад (https://twitter.com/WeReportSpace/status/831492083231907840)

We're desperately scanning the skies over Florida for #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) -- no sign yet. @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) @DutchSpace (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace)

• (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156824.jpg)
  

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831492183614226432)
 
Still waiting for a word/sound of #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV?src=hash) landing at KSC, NOTAMs are active, aircraft been routed around it,nothing other then that.(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156825.jpg)
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156827.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831494829586644992)
 
Hey @NASAKennedy (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy) can you zoom in on image 3 please ? I think thats the SLF #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) ;-)
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156828.jpg)
 
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156829.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 1 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831496612199399424)
 
Update on #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) landing at KSC SLF: NOTAM has been updated, now also includes tomorrow between 13:00&23:00UTC Max Alt. still 3k feet.
 
 (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C4oRPvUXAAAsJJO.jpg)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 29 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831496833759326208)
 
Update on #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) landing at KSC SLF: NOTAM has been updated, now also includes tomorrow between 13:00&23:00UTC Max Alt. still 3k feet.
 
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156830.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace ‏@DutchSpace  (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 11 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/831501553265737728)
 
So,with the limited sources we have I'd say wave off for a KSC SLF #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) landing for today, tomorrow an option but weather an issue.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67530.jpg) Spaceflight Now ‏@SpaceflightNow  (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow) 18 мин назад (https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/831510133532405760)
 
X-37B not landing soon. Pentagon says program "conducting a regularly scheduled exercise" amid false landing rumors http://spaceflightnow.com/2017/02/14/no-x-37b-landing-planned-anytime-soon/ ... (https://t.co/wx91VXvB4M)
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156831.jpg)

ЦитироватьNo imminent X-37B landing planned              
 February 14, 2017 Justin Ray (http://spaceflightnow.com/author/justin-sfn-ray/)

 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/155258.jpg) (http://spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/x37b_inorbit.jpg)An artist's concept of X-37B in orbit. Credit: Boeing
CAPE CANAVERAL — The enigmatic X-37B spaceplane, launched into low-Earth orbit on an experimental military mission in 2015, continues to circle the planet despite a flurry of landing rumors.
"The X-37 is still on-orbit. The program is conducting a regularly scheduled exercise this week," said Capt. Annmarie Annicelli, media operations officer at the Pentagon's Air Force Press Desk.
Internet chatter buzzed in recent days about a potential landing of the stubby-winged spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility as early as this morning.
But the Pentagon put those rumors to rest with its brief but pointed statement.
The X-37B was launched on May 20, 2015 and spent its 636th day in space today on a classified mission.
This fourth flight of the unmanned and reusable spaceplane program carried at least two payloads on its latest voyage. The military revealed before the ship took off that it was carrying an experimental electric propulsion thruster to be tested in orbit and a pallet to expose sample materials to the space environment.
What else, if anything, the vehicle is carrying in its pickup truck-size cargo bay is unknown.
As of today, the X-37B program has used twin reusable vehicles to amass 2,004 cumulative days in space on four flights since 2010, launching like a satellite atop Atlas 5 rockets and then landing like an airplane.
The three previous flights landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. But the Air Force and builder Boeing have worked to consolidate all X-37B launch and landing operations at the Kennedy Space Center to use the former hangars and runway from the now-retired civilian program.

Цитировать(https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-1/p48x48/10649475_1057068721020316_5365168424212953647_n.jpg?oh=ac12662f7af648a808f3af214817957a&oe=593E1BAC) (https://www.facebook.com/BrianSThorn)
Brian Thorn (https://www.facebook.com/BrianSThorn) · Rockledge High (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rockledge-High/109803662376380)
They released a NOTAM (Notice to Aviators and Mariners) for an exercise?

Цитировать https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/829313151762051073
8 февр. 2017 г.
Activity at the KSC SLF. No confirmation, because she's a media-shy spacecraft, but my spidey senses have me thinking about X-37B?

Цитировать https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/829632640470900736
9 февр. 2017 г.
Interesting, over at http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Feb-2017/0024.html ... (https://t.co/PdG6CxyM5R) ... they mention #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) was a no show on a pass, has it maneuvered for landing? @NASAKennedy (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/33381.jpg) Irene Klotz ‏@Free_Space  (https://twitter.com/Free_Space) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/Free_Space/status/831516362522632192)
 
No #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) landing today. Pentagon says "The X-37 is still on-orbit. The program is conducting a regularly scheduled exercise this week."

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/186040.jpg) Chris B - NSF ‏@NASASpaceflight  (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/831887788677165056)

Now we know what the NOTAM is about... Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel members sky diving into KSC to protest. (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125472.png) But seriously, they will!
 

Цитировать https://twitter.com/eHardinda/status/831520692847964160
My coworker took this pic on Thursday of an X-37 making its way from the Shuttle Landing Facility to the OPF. #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #Boeing (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Boeing?src=hash) @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) #KSC (https://twitter.com/hashtag/KSC?src=hash)
14 февр. 2017 г.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/156826.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg)  DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace)  1 ч.1 час назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/845630169759055873)
Still flying, #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) is now the longest #OTV (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV?src=hash) on-orbit: 674 days 22 hrs 30 min. and counting.
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/157550.jpg)

ЦитироватьSalo пишет:

ЦитироватьDutchSpace ‏ @ DutchSpace 1 ч.1 час назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/845630169759055873)
Still flying, # X37B # OTV4 is now the longest # OTV on-orbit: 674 days 22 hrs 30 min. and counting.
 

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg)  DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace)  27 мин.27 минут назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/845758954584051713)
On the day #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) broke the on-orbit duration record it seems the keen eyes over at satobs have found it again http://satobs.org/seesat/Mar-2017/0171.html ... (https://t.co/JMX0BLhRRJ)
 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/157555.jpg)

ЦитироватьFrom: Jon . via Seesat-l
 Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2017 23:51:18 +0100

 Hello all,
...

OTV-4 was a bit more than 6 degrees off-track on mid-elevated sky and oneminute and 15 seconds early on Greg's first pass (the higher one). It wasnear to complete a full revoulution off time respect february's elsetderived from Jose Luis Ruiz's photographic observations, that was ~0.06rev/day too high.

This is a derived rough orbit:

OTV-4 search 325 X 337 km

1 40651U 15025A 17084.75186662 0.00009973 00000-0 50000-4 0 00
2 40651 38.0095 214.3059 0008615 58.6322 301.5307 15.80614973 06

rms 0.06

The results of the analysis suggest that the object has another ecc and AoPvalues, probably a higher ecc, beeing these values the closest that I'vecould get with the available data. The residuals looks enough good to beable to spot it reasonably easily in the next days.

Jon.

--
Jon, COSPAR 6242, 42.9453, -2.82839, 623m, Bitoriano, Basque Country.

ЦитироватьАмериканский космоплан установил рекорд пребывания на орбите, сообщили СМИ
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/132559.jpg) (//%3Cimg%20%20src=)
© Фото: United States Air Force
МОСКВА, 27 мар — РИА Новости. Экспериментальный орбитальный самолет X-37B OTV-4 ВВС США установил рекорд продолжительности полета для подобных "секретных" миссий, сообщает специализированное американское издание Spaceflight101 (http://spaceflight101.com/secretive-x-37b-otv-4-new-endurance-record/).
"Космический аппарат ВВС США X-37B OVT-4 побил в субботу рекорд продолжительности полета для любых миссий секретных программ, обозначив пребывание космоплана 675 (на момент публикации уже 677) дней на орбите в рамках текущей миссии, по имеющимся сведениям, посвященной подтверждению технических характеристик и космических экспериментов", — пишет издание.
Так, появившиеся в феврале 2017 года "намеки" на подготовку космоплана к посадке оказались ложными. Тогда X-37B совершил маневр перехода на орбиту приблизительно 307 на 312 километров, что было характерно для подготовки к посадке трех предыдущих аппаратов. Кроме того, на мысе Канаверал была зафиксирована "повышенная активность" на посадочном комплексе Space Shuttle (Shuttle Landing Facility, SLF). На полноразмерном макете X-37B специалисты космического центра Кеннеди отрабатывали операции по "спасению" приземлившегося космического самолета.
Изначально предназначавшийся для проведения орбитальных миссий продолжительностью не более 270 дней X-37B OTV-4 — уже четвертый подобный аппарат, запущенный ВВС США. Предыдущий рекорд был поставлен третьим X-37B. Он пробыл на орбите 674 дня и 22 часа с декабря 2012 года по декабрь 2014 года.
Из всех полезных нагрузок, находящихся на борту космоплана, известно лишь о двух. Первая — экспериментальная ионная силовая установка XR-5A. Перед установкой на военные спутники связи требовалось определить технические характеристики ионного двигателя.
Кроме того, на борту находилась установка для проводимого NASA эксперимента Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space (METIS). Она включает в себя набор из около 100 образцов различных материалов, которые подвергаются воздействию условий космической среды для изучения их реакции на ионизирующее излучение и коррозию из-за атомарного кислорода на низкой околоземной орбите.

ЦитироватьВВК пишет:
Хотели 270 , а получилось 674, типаждали когда сам захочет, но не дождались и решили сами, или он был против, или он с самого начала мог, но сказали меньше и теперь рекорд за рекордом и наверно премия причастным.

Цитироватьhttps://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av012/100225x37arrival/
BY STEPHEN CLARK (mailto:sclark@spaceflightnow.com)
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: February 25, 2010

"The X-37B has the requirement to be on-orbit up to 270 days," the Air Force spokesperson said. "Actual length for the first mission will depend on the meeting the mission objectives, which consists of checkout and performance characteristics of the spacecraft systems."

Цитироватьhttp://www.mk.ru/science/2017/03/27/sekretnyy-voennyy-shattl-ssha-postavil-rekord-prebyvaniya-na-orbite.html
....
Американский экспериментальный орбитальный самолет-лаборатория X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) завершил очередную миссию на околоземной орбите, пробыв в космосе свыше 670 суток, что является рекордом для аппаратов такого класса.
...
Пока американцы вырвались вперед и их система X-37B не имеет конкурентов. После 2019 года, когда станция на основе X-37B пристыкуется к МКС, которой сегодня, фактически, управляют американцы, НАСА может предъявить права вообще на всю станцию.

Цитироватьhttps://nation-news.ru/253871-tainstvennyi-amerikanskii-kosmoplan-x-37b-probyl-na-orbite-675-dnei
Таинственный экспериментальный американский космоплан X-37B, запущенный специалистами НАСА, продержался на орбите Земли уже 675 дней. Американское космическое агентство осуществило запуск нового корабля совместно с Пентагоном.

Цитироватьhttp://www.mk.ru/science/2017/03/27/sekretnyy-voennyy-shattl-ssha-postavil-rekord-prebyvaniya-na-orbite.html
....
Пока американцы вырвались вперед и их система X-37B не имеет конкурентов. После 2019 года, когда станция на основе X-37B пристыкуется к МКС , которой сегодня, фактически, управляют американцы, НАСА может предъявить права вообще на всю станцию.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/854661146409914368)

In about 4 hours #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) has been on-orbit 700 days(!) no signs yet of it coming home
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/158015.jpg)

ЦитироватьThe U.S. Air Force's robotic X-37B space plane has now been circling Earth for 700 days on its latest hush-hush mission.

That mission — known as Orbital Test Vehicle 4, or OTV-4 — began on May 20, 2015, with a liftoff atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

As the name implies, the current mission is the fourth for the X-37B program. These orbital jaunts have been getting progressively longer: OTV-1 launched in April 2010 and spent 224 days in space, OTV-2 lifted off in March 2011 and orbited Earth for 468 days, and OTV-3 began in December 2012 and operated for nearly 675 days.

Most X-37B payloads and activities are classified, so it's unclear what exactly the space planes are doing as they zoom around our planet. But there's nothing nefarious going on, Air Force officials have stressed.

Спойлер

"The primary objectives of the X-37B are twofold: reusable spacecraft technologies for America's future in space and operating experiments which can be returned to, and examined, on Earth," Air Force officials wrote on an X-37B fact sheet (http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104539/x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle/).

Interestingly, that same fact sheet states that the X-37B is designed to operate for 270 days in orbit — a duration mark that the most recent three missions have blown past.

The Air Force is known to own two X-37B vehicles, both of which were built by Boeing. Each solar-powered space plane is just 29 feet (8.8 meters) long and 9.6 feet (2.9 m) tall, with a payload bay the size of a pickup truck bed. (For comparison, both X-37Bs could fit inside the payload bay of one of NASA's now-retired space shuttle orbiters.) Each of the two X-37Bs has flown two missions to date.

The X-37B launches vertically atop a rocket and comes in horizontally for a runway landing. All four missions have launched from Cape Canaveral, and the first three landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

But OTV-4 may buck this latter trend and land in Florida. The Air Force has modified the old Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, which is next door to Cape Canaveral, to accommodate the X-37B. And Air Force officials have said that they aim to consolidate the program's launch and landing activities on Florida's Space Coast.

The SLF last hosted a touchdown in July 2011, when the space shuttle Atlantis landed there to wrap up its STS-135 mission — the final one for the iconic shuttle program.

[свернуть]

ЦитироватьУв. Lesobaza пишет:
А жив ли "Бобик"??

ЦитироватьFrom: Mike McCants via Seesat-l
 Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2017 23:31:52 -0500 (CDT)
 
I had a favorable pass of OTV 4 from Austin and Ed Cannon saw the same pass from San Antonio.

OTV 4 tumbled from about magnitude zero to about magnitude 5 with a period of about 12 seconds or so.

We observed at least 3 cycles.

Mike McCants
Austin, TX

Цитировать https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/861196417968340992
ARTICLE: Air Force's X-37B lands at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility - https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/05/air-forces-x-37b-landing-kscs-slf/ ... (https://t.co/VaOz531QDO) - by @CwG_NSF (https://twitter.com/CwG_NSF) - updated. Waiting for pics.

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185934.jpg) U.S. Air Force‏Подлинная учетная запись @usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce) 2 мин.2 минуты назад (https://twitter.com/usairforce/status/861210390918770690)

The #AirForce (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AirForce?src=hash) #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) is back after more than 700 days in #Space (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Space?src=hash). @NASAKennedy (https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/158639.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/158640.jpg)

Цитировать https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/861213438231576576
The Air Force has released two photographs showing the #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) on the KSC runway after spending 718 days in space https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/07/x-37b-spaceplane-returns-to-earth-and-makes-precision-autopilot-landing/ ... (https://t.co/GPD9IvmXWM)

ЦитироватьAlthough the launch was publicized in advance, the landing came with no official notification. Aviation warnings to pilots were issued Monday, backing up rumors of heightened landing preparations at the Kennedy Space Center over the past week. But the Air Force broke with its own precedent set on the three previous landings and offered no advance warning.

Цитировать http://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1175402/x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle-4-lands-at-kennedy-space-center/

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission 4 (OTV-4), the Air Force's unmanned, reusable space plane, landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility May 7, 2017.

"Today marks an incredibly exciting day for the 45th Space Wing as we continue to break barriers," said Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, the 45th SW commander. "Our team has been preparing for this event for several years, and I am extremely proud to see our hard work and dedication culminate in today's safe and successful landing of the X-37B."

The OTV-4 conducted on-orbit experiments for 718 days during its mission, extending the total number of days spent on-orbit for the OTV program to 2,085 days.

"The landing of OTV-4 marks another success for the X-37B program and the nation," said Lt. Col. Ron Fehlen, X-37B program manager. "This mission once again set an on-orbit endurance record and marks the vehicle's first landing in the state of Florida. We are incredibly pleased with the performance of the space vehicle and are excited about the data gathered to support the scientific and space communities. We are extremely proud of the dedication and hard work by the entire team."

The X-37B is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the X-37B program performs risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies.

"The hard work of the X-37B OTV team and the 45th Space Wing successfully demonstrated the flexibility and resolve necessary to continue the nation's advancement in space," said Randy Walden, the director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. "The ability to land, refurbish, and launch from the same location further enhances the OTV's ability to rapidly integrate and qualify new space technologies."

The Air Force is preparing to launch the fifth X-37B mission from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, later in 2017.

ЦитироватьLesobaza пишет:
А жив ли "Бобик"??

Цитировать https://twitter.com/usairforce/status/861223103346741250
U.S. Air Force@usairforce (https://twitter.com/usairforce)  5 мин.5 минут назад (https://twitter.com/usairforce/status/861223103346741250)
The #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Find out more about today's landing here: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/otv4  (https://t.co/GUGgOMQiYg)

ТУТ видео

ЦитироватьX-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Fact Sheet

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES
05.07.2017
Courtesy Story
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs (https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/SAF)

Mission:

Спойлер

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, is an experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the U.S. Air Force. The primary objectives of the X-37B are twofold; reusable spacecraft technologies for America's future in space and operating experiments which can be returned to, and examined, on Earth.

[свернуть]

Features:

Спойлер

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Based on NASA's X-37 design, the unmanned OTV is designed for vertical launch to low Earth orbit altitudes where it can perform long duration space technology experimentation and testing. Upon command from the ground, the OTV autonomously re-enters the atmosphere, descends, and lands horizontally on a runway. The X-37B is the first vehicle since NASA's Shuttle Orbiter with the ability to return experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis, but with an on-orbit time of 270 days or greater, the X-37B can stay in space for much longer.

Technologies being tested in the program include advanced guidance, navigation and control, thermal protection systems, avionics, high temperature structures and seals, conformal reusable insulation, lightweight electromechanical flight systems, advanced propulsion systems, advanced materials and autonomous orbital flight, reentry and landing.

[свернуть]

Background:

Спойлер

The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office is leading the Department of Defense's Orbital Test Vehicle initiative, by direction of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics and the Secretary of the Air Force. The Air Force OTV effort uses extensive contractor and government investments in the X-37 program by the Air Force, NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to continue full-scale development and on-orbit testing of a long-duration, reusable space vehicle.

NASA's original X-37 program began in 1999 and ran until September 2004 when NASA transferred the program to DARPA. NASA envisioned building two vehicles, an Approach and Landing Test Vehicle, or ALTV, and an Orbital Vehicle. The ALTV validated flight dynamics and extended the flight envelope beyond the low speed/low altitude tests conducted by NASA from 1998 through 2001 on the X-40A, a sub-scale version of the X-37 developed by Air Force Research Labs. DARPA completed the ALTV portion of the X-37 program in September 2006 by successfully executing a series of captive carry and free flight tests. NASA's X-37 Orbital Vehicle was never built, but its design was the starting point for the Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle program.

The Air Force has successfully flown four X-37B missions, OTV-1 through OTV-4, beginning with its first launch on April 22, 2010 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. OTV-1 through OTV-3 all landed successfully at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., and the most recent mission, OTV-4, successfully landed at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. on May 7, 2017, after 718 days in orbit. The first four OTV missions have spent a total of 2,085 days on orbit, successfully checking out the X-37B's reusable flight, reentry and landing technologies as well as operating experiments to benefit the national space community.

[свернуть]

General Characteristics:

Спойлер

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)

[свернуть]

Цитировать http://tass.ru/kosmos/4237658
МОСКВА, 7 мая. /ТАСС/. Американский суборбитальный многоразовый самолет-разведчик X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle совершил успешную посадку на космодроме на мысе Канаверал в США после более чем 700 дней на орбите, сообщили в ВВС США.
"X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle - 4 ВВС США вернулся с орбиты и благополучно приземлился в Космическом центре имени Джона Кеннеди (официальное название космодрома на мысе Канаверал - прим. ТАСС). Аппарат провел более 700 дней в космическом пространстве", - говорится в Twitter ВВС США.
Это был четвертый полет этого аппарата. Секретный проект X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle компания Boeing начинала под эгидой NASA еще в 1999 году. Первоначально аппарат многоразового использования X-37 предназначался для ремонта спутников на орбите. Однако в 2004 году программу засекретили и передали в ведение ВВС США.
С 2010 года аппараты выполняют испытательные орбитальные полеты. По мнению экспертов, X-37 могут использоваться как для испытания новых технологий, так и для доставки в космос разведывательных спутников. Потенциально на них могут быть установлены вооружения, но Пентагон заверяет, что это не входит в его планы.

Цитироватьpnetmon (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/41036/) пишет:
Еще выложили второе видео на https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4

ЦитироватьX-37B Landing Ground Track – Image: Spaceflight101/Google Earth(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/154017.jpg)

Цитировать https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/861250287197147137
X-37B was launched in May 2015.  In May 2016 it began a second mission phase (orbit was changed). In Sep 2016 a third phase saw more mvrs.

Цитироватьhttp://www.space.com/36420-x-37b-space-plane-secret-mission-florida-landing.html
...
"Technologies being tested in the program include advanced guidance, navigation and control; thermal-protection systems; avionics; high-temperature structures and seals; conformal, reusable insulation, lightweight electromechanical flight systems; and autonomous orbital flight, re-entry and landing," Capt. AnnMarie Annicelli, an Air Force spokeswoman, told Space.com via email in March.

"Also, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), and the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO) are investigating an experimental propulsion system," she said.
..

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29242.jpg) DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/861206679668621312)

For the next time here is some NOTAM intel #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/158625.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/158627.jpg)

2 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/861217995502362624)

Looking at the NOTAMS i'm wondering if the landing ground track for #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) was similar to #STS135 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/STS135?src=hash) Orbit 200 plan #shuttle (https://twitter.com/hashtag/shuttle?src=hash) @waynehale (https://twitter.com/waynehale)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/158650.jpg)

Цитировать (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67516.jpg) Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 (https://twitter.com/planet4589) 32 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/861246702560444417)

The US Air Force X-37B spaceplane landed at Kennedy Space Center's SLF runway at about 1145 UTC May 7 after 717.9 days in space.

Цитироватьpnetmon (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/user/41036/) пишет:
Еще одно видео https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4
 https://www.dvidshub.net/video/523075/x37b-otv4-landing-b-roll

Цитироватьhttps://static.dvidshub.net/media/video/1705/DOD_104338048/DOD_104338048-1024x576-1769k.mp4

Цитироватьtnt22 пишет:
Посадка
 https://twitter.com/i/videos/tweet/861223103346741250

Цитироватьtnt22 пишет:
Видео
 https://twitter.com/i/videos/tweet/861227852993372160

ЦитироватьШаттл это реплика Inspiration http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-042916a-space-shuttle-inspiration-slf.html

Цитироватьpnetmon пишет:
А ящик около сопла

Цитироватьvlad7308 пишет:

Цитироватьpnetmon пишет:
А ящик около сопла

сверху?
это аэродинамический щиток-тормоз. после остановки он закрылся.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
Сеньоры, а NOTAM на эту, уже реальную посадку - выдавались?

ЦитироватьThe Air Force has successfully flown four X-37B missions, OTV-1 through OTV-4, beginning with its first launch on April 22, 2010 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. OTV-1 through OTV-3 all landed successfully at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., and the most recent mission, OTV-4, successfully landed at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. on May 7, 2017, after 718 days in orbit. The first four OTV missions have spent a total of 2,085 days on orbit, successfully checking out the X-37B's reusable flight, reentry and landing technologies as well as operating experiments to benefit the national space community

ЦитироватьTAU пишет: Да уж, крутая машинка... Браво, американцы!

Цитировать...
With Runway 15 fast approaching the glider dropped its landing gear with dinner plate-sized wheels for a tire-smoking touchdown at 7:47 a.m. EDT (1147 GMT) while flying on a sophisticated autopilot fed with GPS navigation.

Total flight duration was 717 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes from liftoff to landing.
...

ЦитироватьХВ. пишет:
Вопрос: Не подскажите, когда планируют запустить OTV-1 в третий полёт?

Цитировать https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4
(https://static.dvidshub.net/media/thumbs/photos/1705/3365279/1000w_q95.jpg)
(https://static.dvidshub.net/media/thumbs/photos/1705/3365287/1000w_q95.jpg)
(https://static.dvidshub.net/media/thumbs/photos/1705/3365289/1000w_q95.jpg)
The Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission 4 landed at NASA 's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility May 7, 2017. Managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the X-37B program is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft that performs risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies.

Цитироватьpnetmon пишет:
Выше в статье написали что какой летал в этот раз не объявляли (p.s. я некоторое время доказывал что это был второй). Следующий запуск объявили в этом году.

ЦитироватьХВ. пишет:
А о том, что в этот последний раз не объявляли, какой полетел - для меня неожиданная новость. Я всё время был уверен, что полетел второй. И, как мне кажется, не потому, что посчитал очерёдность, а потому, чтогде-то слышал в новостях о том, что это второй, когда его запустили.

Цитировать http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/x-37.htm

The individual orbiter used in this mission has not been identified, but is likely the second on

Цитировать

07.05.2017

 

Завершен полет военного шаттла Х-37В (http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/news/33941/)

7 мая 2017 г. в 07:47 EDT (11:47 UTC, 14:47 ДМВ) американский военный шаттл Х-37В совершил успешную посадку в автоматическом режиме на полосе R15 космодрома на мысе Канаверал. Четвертый полет по программе (OTV-4) и второй для КА №2 продолжался 717 сут 20 час 42 мин.

А.Ж.

Цитироватьhttps://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/861935307754700803
DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace)  5 ч. (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/861935307754700803)
9 мая 
5 часов назад (https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/861935307754700803)
Interesting new #X37B (https://twitter.com/hashtag/X37B?src=hash) #OTV4 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTV4?src=hash) images have been released, including a view of the @AerojetRdyne (https://twitter.com/AerojetRdyne) XR-5A Hall-effect thruster
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/159187.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/159188.jpg)

Цитироватьhttp://www.rocket.com/article/aerojet-rocketdyne%E2%80%99s-modified-xr-5-hall-thruster-demonstrates-successful-orbit-operation
SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 1, 2015 – Aerojet Rocketdyne's (NYSE:AJRD) improved XR-5 Hall Thruster (designated XR-5A) has successfully completed initial on-orbit validation testing on the unmanned X-37 space plane, which is presently on its fourth mission in space. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Space and Missile Systems Center, and Rapid Capabilities Office collaborated to host the XR-5A Hall Thruster experiment on Orbital Test Vehicle mission 4.
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/233424.jpg)
Aerojet Rocketdyne's Upgraded XR-5A Hall Thruster Demonstrates Successful On-Orbit Operation.

ЦитироватьВиктор Воропаев пишет:
Вряд ли. В предшествующих полётах (без ионника) 37-е держали высоту регулярными маленькими коррекциями, постепенно расходуя свой запас ХС.

ЦитироватьСтарый пишет:
То что заслуживает восхищения по его мнению ерунда,

Цитировать https://www.dni.ru/tech/2017/5/10/368798.html
Американская космическая миссия завершилась провалом
...
Таким образом завершилась почти двухгодичная космическая миссия: он провел в небе 700 суток.
...
Однако эксперты утверждают, что с поставленными задачами аппарат не справился и его миссия фактически провалилась. "Хотя он (X-37B) может делать несколько операций, он не выглядит хорошо разработанным, чтобы выполнять любую из задач, за исключением красивого и чистого возвращения космического корабля на землю", – заявила эксперт по космической безопасности Лаура Грего в интервью The Atlantic.
...
Лаура Грего уверена, что существуют более эффективные и при этом работающие технологии и для вывода полезного груза на орбиту, и для маневров в ближнем космосе. По мнению эксперта, X-37B показал себя слишком неповоротливым, чтобы заявлять о нем как о "прорыве" в реализации космических задач.

Цитировать  https://www.wired.com/2011/03/space-plane-back/

"Building this return capability into the space plane adds tons of extra mass compared to maneuvering spacecraft that are not designed to return to Earth," Laura Grego and David Wright from the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists explained in a blog post. "That large mass penalty makes it more difficult and expensive to get a space plane and its payload into orbit (http://allthingsnuclear.org/post/653648499/space-plane-technology-in-search-of-a-mission-part) and reduces the amount of maneuvering that it can do with a given amount of fuel."

Цитировать http://www.space.com/24459-x37b-space-plane-mission-400-days.html
"If the move to Florida means that the Air Force sees a future for the space plane program, it's a good time for Congress and the Administration to ask for a persuasive rationale for spending that money," said Laura Grego, senior scientist in the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Cambridge, Mass.

Цитировать https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/05/why-so-secretive/525969/
Knowing all this, Laura Grego, a space-security expert and a senior scientist the Union of Concerned Scientists, wonders whether the X-37B is worth it. "While it can do a number of things, it doesn't seem particularly well-designed to do any of them except for returning a space craft in a nice, tidy way," she told me over email.
Grego said there are more efficient ways of getting things like thrusters and experiments into low-Earth orbit, like the robotic missions that transport cargo to the International Space Station. The X-37B is also not built to be especially agile in orbit, so sidling up to a satellite to check it out would be pretty difficult.
"Maneuverability depends on mass—if you have to haul around wings and landing gear with you on all your zips and zags in space, you will run out of fuel more quickly than if you were designed to be lightweight and agile and never come back to the ground," Grego said. "This is especially true if you are trying to get close to objects that are not already in nearby orbits, that takes a lot of fuel, which needs to be launched along with the plane."