In the night of Monday is the X-37B to Kennedy Space Center of Nasa in Florida landed after 780 days, and hence, more than two years in orbit. Never before has such a space plane was no longer on the road, since the U.S. air force launched its mysterious test program a decade ago.
According to the Air Force, the unmanned airplane that looks like a small space Shuttle, reusable world tested space technology and carried out investigations in Orbit. What exactly is behind it, but it is a closely guarded secret. With the previous four missions, therefore, there was rumors that the United States could take advantage of the space vehicle for espionage activities, or for Testing new weapons.
these speculations are Fuelled by the official note, the X-37B have carried out experiments for the Air Force Research Laboratory. According to his own statement, on its Website, it developed the “war technologies”, for example, laser weapons that could be mounted in the future on airplanes.
in Front of a launch: The X-37B is brought into position. Photo:
The X-37B is 8.8 meters long and 2.9 meters high, the wingspan is just under four and a half meters. It was developed in 1999, first for the U.S. space Agency Nasa in Boeing’s “Phantom Works” in California, before the air force took over the project in 2004. The construction of the prototype was surrounded by a cloak of secrecy.
The first flight nine years ago, was followed by a worldwide network of Amateur astronomers. This found that the X-37B was orbiting at a distance of 410 kilometres of the earth every four days, and in the process, North Korea, Afghanistan and others for the USA, interesting States flew over. Experts talked of a further step in the militarisation of space.
After the landing of the first flight: experts from the US air force the X to investigate-37B. Photo:
Actually, the space plane is designed for missions of up to 270 days. The rocket engine consumed much less fuel than expected, even folding sun secured panels, the power supply means. Meanwhile, the X has spent-37B together more than 2800 days are numbered in All – the equivalent of almost eight years. And for the spring of 2020, the next Mission is planned.
“The sky is not the limit for the US air force and – if the Congress approves for the U.S. space forces,” said air force chief of staff, David L. gold fine according to the most recent landing. So he spoke to the plans of President Trump, who had announced last August, the construction of a new space-military command. “SpaceCom ensures that the dominance of America is being threatened in All never” had Trump said, and was joined to the Ministry of defence and in the American Parliament with little enthusiasm. A new branch of the US army can only be formed with the consent of the Congress.
Created: 29.10.2019, 20:55 PM