Boeing Contemplates Cargo, Crewed Version of X-37B Space Plane (ContributorNetwork)

Boeing is contemplating building a larger version of the X-37B test vehicle for delivering cargo to low Earth orbit. A third phase of the winged space craft could carry astronauts to LEO as well.

* The X-37B is an unmanned test vehicle developed by Boeing's Phantom works for the United States Air Force. It is launched into low Earth orbit inside a faring on top of an Atlas V rocket. It is designed to land like the space shuttle on a runway after orbital operations are completed.

* The X-37B is 29 feet, eight inches long, nine feet, six inches high, with a wing span of 14 feet, 11 inches. Its launch weight is 11,000 pounds.

* The X-37B was first launched into low Earth orbit in April, 2010 on a top secret Air Force Mission. The vehicle landed in December of that year after a seven month flight that the Air Force said was to test certain technologies needed for orbital operations. This apparently included at least four course corrections, observed by amateur astronomers.

* The course corrections suggested that one purpose of an operation vehicle based on the X-37B would be to intercept and either capture or destroy enemy satellites in time of war. The vehicle could also be used as a quick reaction space craft to deliver military satellites to low Earth orbit as needed. An operational X-37B could deliver a conventional warhead from the continental United States to any target in the world.

* The X-37B was launched again on March 5, 2011 and is currently conducting secret military tests.

* The idea of an X-37B derived cargo or even astronaut carrier is seen as a backup plan for space vehicles now under development under NASA's commercial crew program

* If the go ahead were given, the first step would be to launch the X-37B to rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station.

* The second step would be to build a larger version of the X-37B, which would be used to carry line replacement units (LRUs) to the ISS. The flights would also demonstrate the capability of flying an autonomous space craft to the ISS with astronauts.

* The crewed version of the X-37B derived vehicle would be able to carry five to seven astronauts at a time into low Earth orbit and destinations like the ISS.

* It is unclear how such an operational derivative of the X-37B would be funded, whether by NASA or the Air Force. The Air Force had, at one time, its own manned space program, which was cancelled in the mid 1960s. Before the Challenger accident, the space shuttle flew a number of military payloads. Subsequently military flights were conducted on unmanned launchers.

Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker. He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post , USA Today, the L.A. Times and The Weekly Standard.

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NASA Delivers Cargo to Launch Pad for Last-Ever Shuttle Flight (SPACE.com)

Robert Z. Pearlman, SPACE.com contributor
Space.com Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com Contributor
space.com – Fri Jun 17, 2:14 pm ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA rolled out its final space shuttle mission's cargo pod to the launch pad Thursday (June 16) here at Kennedy Space Center, in preparation for installing it on board space shuttle Atlantis.

Packed with more than 8,000 pounds of supplies and equipment for the International Space Station, the "Raffaello" logistics module and a separate experiments platform were packed inside a shuttle cargo bay-sized canister for the trip out to the pad.

The 60-foot tall canister took about two-and-a-half hours to make the journey, arriving at the base of the pad's rotating service structure at about 11:30 p.m. EDT Thursday (0330 GMT Friday). It was then hoisted up into the pad's payload handling room where its contents will be prepared for installation into the shuttle's cargo bay on Monday.

Atlantis is targeted to lift off on STS-135, NASA's 135th and final space shuttle mission, on July 8. During the 12-day flight, commander Chris Ferguson and his three crewmates, Doug Hurley, Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, will deliver Raffaello to the space station, completing the shuttle program's last cargo delivery to the orbiting laboratory.

After transferring the cargo pod's contents onto the station, the STS-135 crew will then repack Raffaello with more than 5,000 pounds of refuse, supplies and experiment results for the trip back to Earth. [Gallery: Shuttle Atlantis' Last Launch Pad Trek]

The payload's delivery to the pad followed a successful tanking test performed earlier this week during which Atlantis' external fuel tank was checked for structural defects. The test, which loaded the tank with approximately 535,000 gallons of super-cold propellants exposed the tank to the same extreme low-temperatures it will experience on launch day.

Initial inspections revealed no apparent cracks to the tank's exterior insulating foam. On Saturday, technicians will X-ray the tank to verify its underlying support beams, or stringers, are also crack-free.

During the test, engineers saw evidence of a possible liquid-hydrogen leak from one of Atlantis' three main engines. The source of the leak, a main fuel valve, will be replaced, but the work is not expected to impact the shuttle's planned July 8 launch date.

On Monday (June 20), the STS-135 astronauts will arrive at the Kennedy Space Center to begin several days of training, culminating Thursday (June 23) in a full-up dress rehearsal for their launch countdown. The four crewmembers will don their orange pressure suits and board Atlantis to practice the procedures leading up to their liftoff.

Robert Pearlman is a contributing writer for SPACE.com and the editor of collectSPACE.com. You can follow him on Twitter @robertpearlman and @collectSPACE, or on Facebook. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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