Mystery X-37B space plane breaks new record

[UM-Bot]

The US military's secretive pint-sized spacecraft has now spent a whopping 717 days up in space non-stop.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/329983/mystery-x-37b-space-plane-breaks-new-record

[AllPossible]

I'm sure it's a bad ass piece of equipment that can do whatever they tell it too.

[Jon the frog]

Interesting testing spacecraft !

[Grim Reaper 6]

On 8/27/2019 at 12:24 AM, UM-Bot said:

The US military's secretive pint-sized spacecraft has now spent a whopping 717 days up in space non-stop.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/329983/mystery-x-37b-space-plane-breaks-new-record

What I find very interesting is the fact that it's Solar Powered. Once it reaches space it can stay up forever short of a malfunction. But I do think there is more to it than being built just for Satellite repair missions. This is speculation on my part, but I suspect it may have weapon systems on board. If so it would certainly be a great deterrent for other nations killer satellites suppose time will tell. 

Thanks for posting this thread.

Here is a better link with more information on the X-37B Space Plane

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a28543381/x-37b/

Edited August 28, 2019 by Manwon Lender

[toast]

8 minutes ago, Manwon Lender said:

What I find very interesting is the fact that it's Solar Powered.

The solar power infrastructure is for the on-board power supply only, its not for the propulsion of the craft.

Quote

 But I do think there is more to it than being built just for Satellite repair missions.

I think the key research with this craft is for military purposes but satellite repair missions, the use as a rescue capsule and/or as a carrier for scientific purposes may result as spin-off later on, if not part of the research already.

[Grim Reaper 6]

36 minutes ago, toast said:

The solar power infrastructure is for the on-board power supply only, its not for the propulsion of the craft.

I think the key research with this craft is for military purposes but satellite repair missions, the use as a rescue capsule and/or as a carrier for scientific purposes may result as spin-off later on, if not part of the research already.

Thanks for the correction, but I may not be completely wrong. It appears that the vehical is using a Hall Electronic Propulsion system.

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by Manwon Lender

[Grim Reaper 6]

34 minutes ago, toast said:

The solar power infrastructure is for the on-board power supply only, its not for the propulsion of the craft.

I think the key research with this craft is for military purposes but satellite repair missions, the use as a rescue capsule and/or as a carrier for scientific purposes may result as spin-off later on, if not part of the research already.

Hey Toast check this out, I just found this online. It appears that the X-37B is using a Hall electronic thruster system, that is currently used on Satellites. I may not be completely wrong.

Heres a link for the information listed below: https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/x-37.htm 

Heres another link concerning the Hall Electronic Propulsion system: https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/04/27/x-37b-launch-date-firms-up-as-new-details-emerge-about-experiment/

A fourth mission, X-37B OTV-4 was launched in 2015 from Cape Canaveral. The individual orbiter used in this mission has not been identified, but is likely the second one. It conducted an Hall thruster electric propulsion experiment to enable in-space characterization of design modifications that are intended to improve performance to the units onboard AEHF military communications spacecraft. 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 on-orbit test plans for the experiment were developed by Air Force Research Laboratory and administered by the Rapid Capabilities Office, which runs the X-37B program. The experiment included collection of telemetry from the Hall thruster operating in the space environment as well as measurement of the thrust imparted on the vehicle. Also on board was NASA's METIS (Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space) eperiment to expose nearly 100 different materials samples to the space environment for more than 200 days. METIS is based on the MISSE (Materials on International Space Station Experiment), which flew more than 4,000 samples in space from 2001 to 2013. METIS flew a variety of materials including polymers, composites and coatings. The mission ended after 718 days with a landing at Cape Canaveral AFS on 7 May 2017.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Manwon Lender

[Waspie_Dwarf]

On 8/28/2019 at 10:07 AM, Manwon Lender said:

It appears that the vehical is using a Hall Electronic Propulsion system.

No it's not

The previous mission carried a Hall-effect thruster as part of it's payload, to test it in space, but it is not part of the vehicles propulsion system.

[Grim Reaper 6]

1 hour ago, Waspie_Dwarf said:

No it's not

The previous mission carried a Hall-effect thruster as part of it's payload, to test it in space, but it is not part of the vehicles propulsion system.

No it isn't yet, but that's what they are testing for.  It clearly states in my post above they were testing it to use as maneuvering thrusters. Now I am pretty certain that does count as Propulsion, did you read the link I provided in my post? But maybe things have changed that you are not aware of.

Please read this link, the Airforce is calling it a Propulsion system for X-37B

https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/04/27/x-37b-launch-date-firms-up-as-new-details-emerge-about-experiment/

Edited September 4, 2019 by Manwon Lender

[Waspie_Dwarf]

53 minutes ago, Manwon Lender said:

No it isn't yet, but that's what they are testing for.  It clearly states in my post above they were testing it to use as maneuvering thrusters. Now I am pretty certain that does count as Propulsion, did you read the link I provided in my post? But maybe things have changed that you are not aware of.

Please read this link, the Airforce is calling it a Propulsion system for X-37B

https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/04/27/x-37b-launch-date-firms-up-as-new-details-emerge-about-experiment/

Re-read the link yourself, you clearly don't understand it.

It is a link from a story form 2015 about the FOURTH mission of the X-37B. That mission ended in May 2017. The mission in orbit now is the FIFTH mission of the X-37B.

The link also, quite explicitly, states that the Hall thruster is an experiment. It is part of payload, NOT the spacecraft's propulsion system.

 

 

[Grim Reaper 6]

16 minutes ago, Waspie_Dwarf said:

Re-read the link yourself, you clearly don't understand it.

It is a link from a story form 2015 about the FOURTH mission of the X-37B. That mission ended in May 2017. The mission in orbit now is the FIFTH mission of the X-37B.

The link also, quite explicitly, states that the Hall thruster is an experiment. It is part of payload, NOT the spacecraft's propulsion system.

 

 

Here's another link   https://www.engadget.com/2015/04/28/x-37b-hall-thruster-test/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZW5nYWRnZXQuY29tLzIwMTkvMDgvMjYvYWlyLWZvcmNlLXNwYWNlLXBsYW5lLW5ldy1yZWNvcmQv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACyRHlV21cPvei5IFxUlPqvTwQjEMZztcpW0QDSTAbFxPy2svh1iiJ9Eo_Y6su1GhAFm6RFeQBQR7Dw6s4n8NLJk6ifVhzFg_Wphy8-6QAiw8K8MTCn0ayCOLaNRDWtvRYGQt0VYYB_7YtWq8Pcb_tDzfeOghFzsgUHK5a4h1Wj3.     

I just read the first link again I don't see where it says that it is part of the payload. If the was case how could they test, the vehicle is unmanned.

It going to be difficult to prove anything either way since it Classified. So we can agree to disagree until the Airforce releases more in information.

Finally why do you think they are experimenting with it?

Edited September 4, 2019 by Manwon Lender

[toast]

2 hours ago, Manwon Lender said:

I just read the first link again I don't see where it says that it is part of the payload.

As the Hall Thruster wasnt a part of the B-37 original concept and as it was lifted up for testing purposes, it is a part of the payload in the same fashion as the Hubble Space Telescope was a part of the payload of STS-31 Space Shuttle Discovery.

Quote

If the was case how could they test, the vehicle is unmanned.

It dont need staff in orbit/space to test a propulsion device in orbit/space. Example with Apollo 4, a test mission, a Saturn V was lifted up to a 18k Km orbit and the capsule returned well back to Earth. Unmanned.

[Grim Reaper 6]

2 minutes ago, toast said:

As the Hall Thruster wasnt a part of the B-37 original concept and as it was lifted up for testing purposes, it is a part of the payload in the same fashion as the Hubble Space Telescope was a part of the payload of STS-31 Space Shuttle Discovery.

It dont need staff in orbit/space to test a propulsion device in orbit/space. Example with Apollo 4, a test mission, a Saturn V was lifted up to a 18k Km orbit and the capsule returned well back to Earth. Unmanned.

 

4 minutes ago, toast said:

As the Hall Thruster wasnt a part of the B-37 original concept and as it was lifted up for testing purposes, it is a part of the payload in the same fashion as the Hubble Space Telescope was a part of the payload of STS-31 Space Shuttle Discovery.

It dont need staff in orbit/space to test a propulsion device in orbit/space. Example with Apollo 4, a test mission, a Saturn V was lifted up to a 18k Km orbit and the capsule returned well back to Earth. Unmanned.

If it was part of the payload, which means it was part of the cargo how was it installed and ttested on an unmanned vehical.

[toast]

Just now, Manwon Lender said:

If it was part of the payload, which means it was part of the cargo how was it installed and ttested on an unmanned vehical.

It seems you dont understand the meaning of payload correctly. Even if the Hall Thruster was installed to the carrier and outside the cargo bay for testing purposes, its still payload.

[Grim Reaper 6]

10 minutes ago, toast said:

It seems you dont understand the meaning of payload correctly. Even if the Hall Thruster was installed to the carrier and outside the cargo bay for testing purposes, its still payload.

Your correct some how even after looking it up , it still didn't sink in. The payload is anything that adds to the vehicles total weight. 

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Edited September 4, 2019 by Manwon Lender