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2023-11-10 Science & Technology

X-37B to fly again, with some wrinkles this time

[Space.com] The U.S. Space Force's shadowy X-37B is set for launch atop a SpaceX rocket.

The reusable space plane will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 7 for its seventh overall mission, designated USSF-52.

This marks the first time that the X-37B will launch on a Falcon Heavy, according to a Space Force statement. Little is known about the capabilities and operations of the space plane, but Space Force says the mission will follow previous flights that used the X-37B as a test bed for launching experimental payloads and returning them to Earth.

"We are excited to expand the envelope of the reusable X-37B's capabilities, using the flight-proven service module and Falcon Heavy rocket to fly multiple cutting-edge experiments for the Department of the Air Force and its partners," said Lt. Col. Joseph Fritschen, program director for the X-37B, in the statement.

It isn't known why the X-37B is launching atop a Falcon Heavy for the USSF-52 mission. Five of the space plane's previous missions launched on United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets, while its fifth mission, USA-277, took off on top of SpaceX's smaller rocket, the Falcon 9 (Falcon Heavy consists of three Falcon 9 boosters strapped together).

Such a change could suggest that the space plane is carrying heavier payloads or is sporting a new hardware configuration. So far, Space Force has only stated that the mission will "expand the United States Space Force's knowledge of the space environment by experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies," according to the statement.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-11-10 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11143 views ] Top

#1 Or they are shooting for a non-standard orbit.

Kinda exciting if they are going to reactivate some of the geo-dinos, or explore the Lagrange clusters.

Posted by Skidmark 2023-11-10 01:01|| 2023-11-10 01:01|| Front Page Top

#2 More technical details

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-11-10 07:10|| 2023-11-10 07:10|| Front Page Top

#3 elon musk. booster recovery and re-use. what an achievement! yea afro-america/canada.

Posted by irish rage boy 2023-11-10 09:10|| 2023-11-10 09:10|| Front Page Top

#4 It could just be a scheduling thing. Pad 39A is used for the Falcon Heavy. If a Falcon Heavy launch was near the time they want to launch this rocket there might not be enough time to reconfigure the rocket support frame to a normal F9 mode.
There are FH and F9 frame modifications that take about 30 days to do.
The other F9 pad itself at the military side of the cape is being modified so it can do crewed launches too. Currently only 39A (the heavy pad) can launch crew. They are trying to make both FL pads able to do crew.
Another pad is up for permission to be built (CA and SpaceForce) at California's Vandenburg AFB to be able to launch a Falcon Heavy. This would get around constantly modifying the launch support. Vandenburg does NOT launch any crew.

Posted by 3dc 2023-11-10 19:34|| 2023-11-10 19:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Oh and Vandy currently only launches F9.

Posted by 3dc 2023-11-10 19:36|| 2023-11-10 19:36|| Front Page Top

#6 Maybe part of why Clark Construction is working there? Or is it just housing?

Posted by Frank G 2023-11-10 19:45|| 2023-11-10 19:45|| Front Page Top

#7 A lot going on at the Cape and outside it. Blue Origin has just installed the largest crane at Port Canaveral to unload recovered New Glenn boosters from the ocean going landing barge. Previously "abandoned in place" facilities at the Cape are being demolished to make way for new facilities.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-11-10 20:04|| 2023-11-10 20:04|| Front Page Top

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