Secret space plane lands at US air force base after unknown two-year mission

A top-secret space plane landed Friday at an air force base on the southern California coast.

The plane spent nearly two years circling Earth on a classified mission. Known as the X-37B, it resembles a mini space shuttle...

...Just what the plane was doing during its 674 days in orbit has been the subject of sometimes spectacular speculation.

Several experts have theorized it carried a payload of spy gear in its cargo bay. Other theories sound straight out of a James Bond film, including that the spacecraft would be able to capture the satellites of other nations or shadow China’s space lab.

Secret space plane lands at US air force base after unknown two-year mission

Secret two year orbital mission? Sounds very interesting, I wonder what they're up too. My guess, spy games.

a reply to: Swills

They were filming reality space porno's.

a reply to: Swills

I did a thread on this shuttle thing several years ago, 2010 or 2011 I think.

Edit: ATS Link

I guess they weren't being overtly obvious about their intentions.

It's tiny!

The plane stands 9.5ft tall and is just over 29ft long, with a wingspan under 15ft. It weighs 11,000lbs and has solar panels that unfurl to charge its batteries once in orbit.

Probably something.....shady, no good, wrong, bad choice, selfish, morally incorrect, deception, spying, wasting money ummm take your pick.

Just saying..........

as part of the 'secret' space program it's questionable if it was really a two year space experiment.

a reply to: Sophie111609

Developing new technologies for both the military and civilian world, that will revolutionize several fields.

Sorry, nothing nefarious this time.

My theory: The space shuttle went to Zeta Reticuli to collect alien viruses to be released on the human population. Ebola and other earth bound projects have not proven themselves successful.

I am know I being imaginative, or overly, but why doesn't anybody have anything to add than idk spy sattelites? It just seems to me if the shuttle is gone for 2 years, a lot more is possible than we are lead to believe.

Another thing, its possible the wool is being pulled over your eyes, as it is my informed opinion that the black ops community have the tech for interstellar travel .

a reply to: Zaphod58

Can you be more specific as to what technology's they are working on? Probably not, cause all nasa has to say is national security, or classified and that is the end of the discussion. That BS is getting so old, it's our tax dollars that's paying for this crap, the least they could do is tell us what the hell they're doing.

Yep, new technologies. You'd be amazed what can be made in space because of the zero-G or near zero-G environment. It's also a very "clean" environment as well.

a reply to: jaws1975

The shuttle once belonged to NASA but the article describes it as an orphan who has been adopted by the USAF. So it's military and definitely classified. Years down the road I'm sure someone will file a FOIA request netting some info.

It is the military so I'm definitely aboard the spying theory but chances are that shuttle is multitasking from spying to science to tech and everything else in between.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Sophie111609

Developing new technologies for both the military and civilian world, that will revolutionize several fields.

Sorry, nothing nefarious this time.

Sorry, nothing nefarious this time

Since the mission was deemed classified it raises questions of its true tensions.

a reply to: Swills

For all I know they are using it to spy on Americans, and we are paying the bill. I would love to give them the benefit of the doubt, but once bitten twice shy.

a reply to: jaws1975

They're working on new optics technologies, and a few other things.

a reply to: Swills

Among other things, they're learning what they can and can't do with an RV. Eventually there will be bases on Mars and beyond. If they can use RVs to resupply it saves money and manpower. That's why each mission has gotten longer.

And while they're there anyway, it's the perfect platform for developing technology.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Oh yeah, definitely multitasking. I found another article about it on Space.com which backed up your assessments.

www.space.com...

Testing space tech

The secrecy surrounding the X-37B and its missions has led to some speculation that the vehicle may be a space weapon, perhaps designed to capture or disable other nations' satellites. But the Air Force insists that this is not the case, stressing that the X-37B is merely a test bed for space tech.

"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," Air Force officials wrote in on online X-37B fact sheet.

"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," they added.

Experts generally agree with this assessment, saying the X-37B is not big or maneuverable enough to be a viable satellite-grabber.

‪"It was probably serving some sort of intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance (ISR) function," Brian Weeden, a technical adviser with the Secure World Foundation and a former orbital analyst with the Air Force, said about OTV-3.

"And the secrecy surrounding the mission being performed by the X-37B suggests the mission was being done for the NRO, perhaps to test out and evaluate new sensor technologies or techniques," Weeden told Space.com via email, referring to the National Reconnaissance Office, which operates the United States' spy satellites.

If it's classified I'm sure it's spy related. But why use a space plane for that I have no idea. It may actually be a revived Star Wars program.

originally posted by: ItCameFromOuterSpace
a reply to: Swills



They were filming reality space porno's.

Or they were looking at a way to revive the long lost Big Brother reality TV show

Imagine all the crazy stuff that thing has seen over the past two years. Cosmic events, UFOs and beyond. Too bad we don't get to see.