Air Force to launch robotic winged space plane

[cory777]

Source: AP

By JOHN ANTCZAK

LOS ANGELES – After a decade of development, the Air Force this month plans to launch a robotic spacecraft resembling a small space shuttle to conduct technology tests in orbit and then glide home to a California runway.

The ultimate purpose of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle and details about the craft, which has been passed between several government agencies, however, remain a mystery as it is prepared for launch April 19 from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

"As long as you're confused you're in good shape," said defense analyst John Pike, director of Globalsecurity.org. "I looked into this a couple of years ago — the entire sort of hypersonic, suborbital, scramjet nest of programs — of which there are upwards of a dozen. The more I studied it the less I understood it."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100404/ap_on_sc/us_mystery_spacecraft

[friendly_iconoclast]

1. Easier-to-launch reconaissance satellite, for one use.

Amongst others...

[LibDemAlways]

2. Unmanned flying spy vehicles are the current

rage with several different projects in the works. Google BAMS for one typical example.

[Robb]

3. I'm oddly reassured

...that it's the least "sexy" airframe I've seen in a while:

[CLANG]

4. "technology tests".... right...

[bongbong]

5. 1%

breakdown of the purpose of this flight

1) 1% for science tests
2) 10% for proof-of-concept tests
3) 30% to get the arms race going in space
4) 30% to show the rest of the world who is boss
5) 29% spying

reasons 3 & 4 are why it was announced publicly

[pundaint]

6. How are things working for us down here? When I hear Air Force, I think "Guns?, no thanks, I'd

rather have infrastructure and jobs."

[24601]

10. Yeah, but....before we had an Air Force, we never lost a war. Since

The Air Force became independent from the Army, we are only 1-1-1 for major conflicts. (Korea, VN & DS)

[Crowman1979]

7. Maybe if this was a NASA/NOAA project for weather or scientific purposes, then I'd be all for it!

But I question the purpose when the military is behind it.

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. They wouldn't arm it with nukes would they?

.
.
.

naaahh

USA wouldn't do that . . .

[Ghost Dog]

9. Full Spectrum Dominance

is the ideology.

[Hugabear]

11. Hey, we gotta keep up with the Chinese, eh?

We can't let the Chinese be the only ones with nukes in space...

How much you wanna bet that the next repuke president will use this logic? Doesn't matter if China is putting nukes in space or not...all we gotta do is say they might be doing it to justify our doing it. :sarcasm:

[ConcernedCanuk]

12. You might have a point there - -I think the USA's war gang are a little spooked

.
.
.

about that satellite the Chinese shot down

USA's war-machine would almost die without it's satellites to spy, find and configure targetting - and so on - -

China basically told the USA that they can shut down their space-controlled war-machine

Whole world knows the USA can't win a ground war -

even WITH it's "superior" domination of the air . .

Iraq and Afghanistan keep the USA at bay.

Heaven help the USA if they ever get get invaded from the ground - -

oh wait!

Canada; Mexico; . . .

hmmmm

:freak:

[proteus_lives]

13. "Whole world knows the USA can't win a ground war"

What planet do you live on?