AFSPC-5: X-37B OTV-4, ULTRASat, LightSail A - Atlas V 501 (AV-054) - Канаверал SLC-41 - 20.05.2015 15:05 UTC

[tnt22]

U.S. Air Force‏Подлинная учетная запись @usairforce 2 мин.2 минуты назад

The #AirForce #X37B #OTV4 is back after more than 700 days in #Space. @NASAKennedy

[triage]

 https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/861213438231576576
The Air Force has released two photographs showing the #X37B 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/ ...

Приземлился и журналисты выложили заготовки...    

Энтузиасты гадали о посадке на основе предупреждений, но....

Although 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.

[tnt22]

Update статьи
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/07/x-37b-spaceplane-returns-to-earth-and-makes-precision-autopilot-landing/

[triage]

 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.

Медиа ресурсы -  https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4

[Старый]

Lesobaza пишет:
А жив ли "Бобик"??

Спугнула!

[tnt22]

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

[triage]

Видео посадки

 https://twitter.com/usairforce/status/861223103346741250
U.S. Air Force@usairforce  5 мин.5 минут назад
The #X37B #OTV4 is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Find out more about today's landing here: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/otv4 

ТУТ видео

Можно сказать никакое...

[triage]

Еще выложили второе видео на https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4

Оттуда
Из второго Шаттл и X-37B


Из первого (когда перестал двоится)

Или сразу оба (автор SciNews)
https://youtu.be/IoailiPGTZQ?list=PLpGTA7wMEDFgfIeIOU7YuZKld6383j4lu https://youtu.be/IoailiPGTZQ?list=PLpGTA7wMEDFgfIeIOU7YuZKld6383j4lu

[tnt22]

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/232877/x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle-fact-sheet

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Fact Sheet

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES
05.07.2017
Courtesy Story
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

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]

[triage]

Кто хочет почитать на русском.... Долго он суборбитально летал - наверное топливо жег и планировал....

 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.

[tnt22]

pnetmon пишет:
Еще выложили второе видео на https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4

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

[tnt22]

Остановка...
 

[tnt22]

Ещё подоспели
http://spaceflight101.com/air-forces-secretive-x-37b-space-plane-lands-in-florida-after-718-day-flight/

Из статьи

X-37B Landing Ground Track – Image: Spaceflight101/Google Earth

[triage]

 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.

Может и было

http://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.
..

[tnt22]

DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 3 ч. назад

For the next time here is some NOTAM intel #X37B #OTV4



2 ч. назад

Looking at the NOTAMS i'm wondering if the landing ground track for #X37B #OTV4 was similar to #STS135 Orbit 200 plan #shuttle @waynehale

[tnt22]

Для отчетности (любителям)

Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 32 мин. назад

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.

[Reader]

Спасибо, tnt22! Как-то уже буднично.
P.S. Пожаров в Подмосковье, как в 2010-ом, в коих некоторая публика обвиняла OTV -1 - уже не будет 

[triage]

Еще одно видео https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4
 https://www.dvidshub.net/video/523075/x37b-otv4-landing-b-roll



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

[volod]

Интересно, сколько времени прошло от команды на посадку и до касания поверхности?
Если загрузить ядерную бомбу на борт и дать команду на спуск над "лопатой" радаров СПРН, да аэродинамически зарулить "куда надо"... Насколько это будет внезапно?

[tnt22]

pnetmon пишет:
Еще одно видео https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/OTV4
 https://www.dvidshub.net/video/523075/x37b-otv4-landing-b-roll

Прямая ссылка на видео

(1:09)