What is the X-37 for?

[Moar Boosters]

Turns out it's capable of landing submarines on titan.

I don't think we guessed that one!

http://www.newsledge.com/u-s-air-forces-x-37-spaceplane-help-submarine-explore-titan-13432

[Bill Phil]

We knew the mission would need a lifting body. Might as well take one that's on hand, right?

[LordFerret]

The Wiki article says:

Reading between the lines a bit, I think it's a satellite killer, possibly able to capture a satellite and return it to Earth for analysis.

Brings to mind the disappearnce of Iran's Fajr satellite.

[Nibb31]

We knew the mission would need a lifting body. Might as well take one that's on hand, right?

X-37 is a spaceplane like the Space Shuttle, not a lifting body. It has wings. X-38 or DreamChaser are lifting bodies.

To "land" on a liquid surface, you would probably want a space-seaplane though rather than an X-37. The wings are dead weight for most of the trip and landing gear won't be much help. The final splashdown would be safer on parachute, like the X-38, BOR-4 or IXV, because we don't have much experience landing seaplanes on oceans of methane, and because it's hard to design a lifting body that is also a good seaplane.

I'd really rather go with the good old Apollo capsule design: parachute and inflatable rings. Dump the heatshield and release the submarine from underneath.

Brings to mind the disappearnce of Iran's Fajr satellite.

The X-37 landed in October. Fajr was launched in February.

Also, amateur astronomers can track the X-37 at all times, surely someone would notice if it went anywhere near another country's satellite.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Nibb31

[Rune]

Firstly, it's likely that the X-37 has more than one purpose - the USAF loves its multi-role vehicles.

The most obvious use is reconnaissance. Traditional spy satellites have two issues. The first is that they are predictable, they tend to overfly the same area at the same time every couple of days, so if you're smart you can often hide your activities. You can get around this by altering the orbit, but you have limited amount of fuel, so you can't do this too often (most observed satellites do this 4 or 5 times during their mission). The second issue is that they're staggeringly expensive, a single KH-11 is belived to cost about $4.5 billion - as a single piece of equipment only a Nimitz class supercarrier is more expensive.

So there is a clear case for re-use, so you can change orbit frequently and once you run out of fuel you can just land, gas up and re-lauch - without having to shell out billions in new optics.

Now the X-37 is far too small for a fully fledged KH-11 (think a heavily upgraded Hubble) but it's cargo bay could accomodate the optics of ORS-1 (a small reconnaissance satellite the USA recently launched to provide intelligence in Afghanistan) which is still quite useful.

During the first X-37 mission USA-212 the craft frequently shifted orbits, and all of it's orbits were precisely in sync with the earth's rotation so that the X-37 was in exactly the same place, at the same time of day, every 2 or 3 days. That's a clear pattern that indicates earth observation was a mission objective.

Of course there are likely other uses - the USAF has launched a number of small experimental sattelites, including reconnaissance sattelites operating in unusual spectra, that the X-37 could be useful in prototyping.

That's probably it, a reusable spacecraft bus whose payload can be switched frequently as better optics come online and the operational needs change. If push comes to shove, an X-37b could have a communications payload thrown on top to provide a downlink several times a day in any area where other forms of communication have been negated by whatever the reason.

Now, whether the X-37b is a sane way of doing that, compared with a mass-produced standard satellite bus... that's another story. But it is a reasonable assumption for the intended role of a X-37... if it was coupled with a rapid launch capability like the Air Force originally intended.

So X-37b could be somewhat useful for a military if it was a reusable upper stage/satellite bus on top of a cheap booster that can be quickly launched.

Rune. Something the Atlas V certainly isn't.

[Yukon0009]

Perhaps the X-37 is something the USAF uses to troll us.

On a serious note, it could be a stepping stone to a larger, truly military space vehicle.

Also 999 posts

[Kryten]

That's probably it, a reusable spacecraft bus whose payload can be switched frequently as better optics come online and the operational needs change. If push comes to shove, an X-37b could have a communications payload thrown on top to provide a downlink several times a day in any area where other forms of communication have been negated by whatever the reason.

Now, whether the X-37b is a sane way of doing that, compared with a mass-produced standard satellite bus... that's another story. But it is a reasonable assumption for the intended role of a X-37... if it was coupled with a rapid launch capability like the Air Force originally intended.

So X-37b could be somewhat useful for a military if it was a reusable upper stage/satellite bus on top of a cheap booster that can be quickly launched.

Rune. Something the Atlas V certainly isn't.

It was intended for Delta II-it might not be Atlas V, but it's not exactly ORS. If all they wanted was responsive launch of small recon sats, they could've cloned Kuaizhou for a lot less money.

[Tommygun]

We knew the mission would need a lifting body. Might as well take one that's on hand, right?

What they need is a flying sub. Just put a heat shield and a parachute on it.

[Rune]

Perhaps the X-37 is something the USAF uses to troll us.

On a serious note, it could be a stepping stone to a larger, truly military space vehicle.

Also 999 posts

That is probably no small part of it. As a disinformation and public relations campaign, it's second to none. After all, it deflects a lot of attention from the big birds being lofted by the NRO that actually do the serious work and you rarely hear about.

It was intended for Delta II-it might not be Atlas V, but it's not exactly ORS. If all they wanted was responsive launch of small recon sats, they could've cloned Kuaizhou for a lot less money.

As I said, the original intentions made (some) sense. Who knows? Maybe something will yet come out of this. As far as I know, the USAF is still hotly pursuing the "responsive launch capability" (their expression, not mine) to replenish space assets quickly in case of serious war with an equiv-tech space power. That's their nightmare scenario, GPS and comms going offline when they truly need it. 90% of their arsenal relies on those in one way or another...

Rune. Congrats on the not very round post number, BTW!

[Bill Phil]

X-37 is a spaceplane like the Space Shuttle, not a lifting body. It has wings. X-38 or DreamChaser are lifting bodies.

To "land" on a liquid surface, you would probably want a space-seaplane though rather than an X-37. The wings are dead weight for most of the trip and landing gear won't be much help. The final splashdown would be safer on parachute, like the X-38, BOR-4 or IXV, because we don't have much experience landing seaplanes on oceans of methane, and because it's hard to design a lifting body that is also a good seaplane.

The Orbiter was a lifting body as well as a winged body. The body provided very little lift...

The X-37 isn't really all that classifiable, it has small winglets and a body that has an airflow which provides some lift. It's more like a blended body than the Shuttle Orbiter, though.

[CptRichardson]

So X-37b could be somewhat useful for a military if it was a reusable upper stage/satellite bus on top of a cheap booster that can be quickly launched.

Rune. Something the Atlas V certainly isn't.

Oh, if only SOMEBODY was working on making a rocket that can be mass produced and re-landed to save costs. That SOMEBODY might be the ideal launch platform that could*Snerk*

Come on, seriously, is this even in question?

[Guest]

They just launch it empty and then rapidly read all the space related forums for free ideas.

[Javster]

That is probably no small part of it. As a disinformation and public relations campaign, it's second to none. After all, it deflects a lot of attention from the big birds being lofted by the NRO that actually do the serious work and you rarely hear about.

Hmm... Let's make a plane we talk about so we distract the public away from our secret awesome planes...

What's really cool? Space! Let's make a spaceplane!

[Meecrob]

Perhaps its sort of a prototype space-AWACS? As in an added layer of surveillance on top of what is current? If it could maneuver enough to launch multiple satellites that cross a target at pre-determined times I could totally see why the Airforce would be interested.

[magnemoe]

They just launch it empty and then rapidly read all the space related forums for free ideas.

Genial idea, however no need to do that more than once.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, if only SOMEBODY was working on making a rocket that can be mass produced and re-landed to save costs. That SOMEBODY might be the ideal launch platform that could*Snerk*

Come on, seriously, is this even in question?

However if you lift an satellite the x-37 would just be dead weight.

Now if you made an miniature space shuttle out if it it would make more sense. Put the upper stage engine on it, put the fuel in a drop tank like on the shuttle.

You now have an reusable upper stage who only drop the tank.

Downside is that this would be heavier than an single use upper stage and have a limited cargo volume.

[Nibb31]

Perhaps its sort of a prototype space-AWACS? As in an added layer of surveillance on top of what is current? If it could maneuver enough to launch multiple satellites that cross a target at pre-determined times I could totally see why the Airforce would be interested.

The X-37b only has a few hundred kilograms of payload capacity, so those would be tiny satellites. There are cheaper and more flexible ways of launching micro-sats that to use a high-tech 5-ton reusable payload fairing that you launch 18 months in advance on an Atlas V and get into position over several days of planning and manoeuvering.

The requirement for small rapid response satellites is real, but it's better served by small flexible Minotaur rockets:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/06/live-orbital-minotaur-i-launch-ors-1/

Edited March 26, 2015 by Nibb31

[Kryten]

USAF have released some details ahead of another launch in May; it's going to be carrying materials from NASA for space testing, a new engine design for the USAF, and presumably other things they aren't mentioning. They say the previous flights were mainly tests of the vehicle itself, and this is the start of operational use. So, seems it's for long-soak component and materials testing.

[Mecripp]

Well know in 75 years what all it done maybe lol.

[GreeningGalaxy]

Regardless of how unlikely it is, I find the idea that the X-37 is some kind of satellite bodysnatcher quite amusing. Maybe the current version is just a test for something much larger that can be used as a sort of "nope" vehicle - somebody you don't like just launched a nuke-armed satellite? No problem. Just launch that planey thing, grab the sat as soon as it finishes its insertion burn, and then return it right to their doorstep, free of charge. No nukes in space for you today!

Yes, I know that there are at least fifteen things wrong with that. Still, being able to steal satellites out of orbit and land them intact sounds like a very fun toy.

[Sampa]

the X-37 is for -REDACTED-

[jwenting]

The main purpose of the X-37 is to spend money

It's a government project after all...

[Superluminaut]

The X-37 has only one ability that pods do not fully have, it can land outside of its orbital plane.

So it could bring stuff down to very specif locations away from the original orbit. Maybe to eliminate the risks that come with transporting whatever it is. It can also come down from a polar orbit and land in the US at just about any time, no waiting for the sort of window a pod needs. So it could carry something very valuable that an enemy will shoot down, and abort the orbit and land at any sign of hostile actions.

Abilities aside though, I think its primary purpose is to allow the US to say they have a spaceplane, show of force type of thing.

What it actually does when it goes up in space? I would guess it tests hardware, probably electronics. Why use a space plane for that? Because they get mission experience out of it.

[jwenting]

of course the X-37 is an experimental, not a prototype, so it's no surprise it doesn't have a set military mission. Its very mission is research into space planes (and spending money).

[Skyler4856]

Maybe it's a research laboratory for space based technology...

[bowdlerize]

I remember reading in a Pentagon paper years ago that the USA wanted to develop a weapons delivery platform that could deliver a guided 500lb warhead anywhere on earth within 20 minutes of the order being given. This would have that capability if it was kept in orbit during times of tension.