X-37

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 16:07:18

With all the trouble with orbital space planes I was surprised to discover the X-37. This vehicle seems to have everything we want in a space plane, small wings, reusability and the ability to land on a runway. Moreover, it might be complete and just not tested. It appears that it was originally developed under NASA and was later transferred to DARPA.

http://www.space.com/news/x37_darpa_040915.html

I can only wonder what the militaries plans are for the vehicle, I suspect many details about the project to remain classified. I also suspect the because the x-37 seems to be a successful demonstration of a space plane and a space plane cannot survive reentry from the moon that NASA will not go with Lockheed martins space plane for the CEV. Rather they will use the capsule design proposed by Boeing.

I find it interesting the United states appears to both be developing a feasible design for a capsule and a space plane while Russia tries the clipper which is somewhere in between. I think the clipper is a higher risk project because it will be harder to land on a runway, thus I consider the united states in front in both capsule and space plane design. I look forward to posting and reading more links about this fascinating vehicle in the near future.

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 16:13:43

From this link:
http://trc.dfrc.nasa.gov/Newsroom/ResearchUpdate/X-37/

I gather a smaller model of the X-37 known as the X-40A demonstrated successful landing. So it is reasonable to conclude that the landing of the X-37 should work as well.

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 16:18:43

It looks like the white night flew a few times with the x-37. I wonder what kind of tests they did during the filght. But As of June 23 this year there haven’t been any drops of the X-37.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/23/white.knight/
At least no official drops. lol

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 16:29:44

Here is a really good article on the history of the x-37 and x-40. It appears the united states air force planed to use it for reconnaissance and deploying satellites. I am sure many more applications are possible. It also has some nice pictures:

site refuses to share images
site refuses to share images

(edited by cIclops)

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 16:37:38

It appears a lot of progress was made as early as 2001:
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/200 … 0515b.html

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 16:55:15

I found this abstract quite interesting:

Abstract: The U.S. can no longer rely on the "space as a sanctuary" policy, initiated by the Eisenhower Administration, to continue to exploit space for economic and military advantages. The X-37 space maneuvering vehicle demonstrator is an opportunity for the U.S. to begin to develop methods to more strategically defend and control the space environment. The X-37 is the first of NASA's x-vehicles intended to demonstrate leading edge technologies in orbit. This prototype space maneuvering vehicle co-sponsored by NASA, the Air Force and the Boeing Company is being designed to achieve the goals of reducing the cost to access space from $10,000 to $1000 per pound while improving reliability. The current project is funded to build an autonomous space maneuvering vehicle with on-orbit testing scheduled in 2002, The X-37 is an unmanned space plane that can carry a payload, and can conduct missions while orbiting, loitering, or rendezvousing with objects in space and then autonomously return to earth by landing on a conventional runway. If the Air Force develops the X-37 to its full potential the system could strategically support each of the Air Force's four space mission areas of force enhancement, space support, space control, and force application. Transition of the space maneuvering demonstrator into a space control platform will require a change in national policy. Capitalizing on the lessons from NASA's x-vehicles and partnering with the commercial sector can potentially save costs and shorten the development of a viable space platform that could be used for space control. Strategic development and funded evolution of the X-37 space vehicle is an immediate, tangible step the United States can take to actively pursue a more aggressive program to respond to threats in the space arena.
Limitations: APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Description: Research rept.
Pages: 46
Report Date: APR 2001
Report number: A552704
Price: $23.95 (19% savings) - Shipping terms

http://www.stormingmedia.us/55/5527/A552704.html
46 pages eh. If I wasn’t a student I would definitely order these pages. I found it interesting too that it would bring launch costs down by a factor of 10. And this is without a scram jet.

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 17:05:19

This is old and slow loading but it is an official NASA document:
http://t2www.nasa.r3h.net/centers/marsh … orical.pdf

GCNRevenger · 2005-08-20 17:11:55

Don't go getting all mixed up now...

It was originally intended to be a technology demonstrator to test technologies needed for Shuttle-II. Shuttle-II would have reduced the cost to about $1,000/lbs, but the X-37 is just to test the heat shield, maneuvering, and automated landing systems.

The big point is: it doesn't launch itself

It is sized to ride either in the Shuttle's cargo bay, or else on top of a smaller EELV, fly around in orbit for a month, and then come back home and do it again.

The USAF may have a use for it as a spy satelite, enemy satelite buster, or eventually perhaps as a space-to-surface bomber with kenetic energy missiles.

It would have solar pannels in its mini cargo bay, and burn kerosene and hydrogen peroxide in its engine. Enough to nudge the orbit a bit or for maneuvering, not enough to serve as an upper stage nor able to leave orbit.

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 17:30:11

Don't go getting all mixed up now...
It was originally intended to be a technology demonstrator to test technologies needed for Shuttle-II. Shuttle-II would have reduced the cost to about $1,000/lbs, but the X-37 is just to test the heat shield, maneuvering, and automated landing systems.
The big point is: it doesn't launch itself
It is sized to ride either in the Shuttle's cargo bay, or else on top of a smaller EELV, fly around in orbit for a month, and then come back home and do it again.
The USAF may have a use for it as a spy satelite, enemy satelite buster, or eventually perhaps as a space-to-surface bomber with kenetic energy missiles.
It would have solar pannels in its mini cargo bay, and burn kerosene and hydrogen peroxide in its engine. Enough to nudge the orbit a bit or for maneuvering, not enough to serve as an upper stage nor able to leave orbit.

Well reentry is a very important part of the vehicle. What would be required so that it could serve as an upper stage. Is there any way to incorporate a scram jet into the airframe design or would a completely different shaped vehicle be needed for a scram jet. What about a three stage vehicle where a scram jet is lifted from a carrier plane which then releases an x-37 type vehicle once it has cleared the atmosphere say around Mach 10.

GCNRevenger · 2005-08-20 17:39:48

No no no, the X-37 can't be morphed into an upper stage, since it would have to be far, far bigger, and its wings would ruin the aerodynamic control of the rocket.

The fuel volume would also be so much bigger, that it couldn't really accomodate much payload volume even if it could be built light enough, which it can't. X-37 is pretty heavy even in its present form with only maneuvering fuel.

Its shape is all wrong for equipping it with a Scramjet engine, you would have to start from scratch.[/list]

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 17:51:55

No no no, the X-37 can't be morphed into an upper stage, since it would have to be far, far bigger, and its wings would ruin the aerodynamic control of the rocket.
The fuel volume would also be so much bigger, that it couldn't really accomodate much payload volume even if it could be built light enough, which it can't. X-37 is pretty heavy even in its present form with only maneuvering fuel.
Its shape is all wrong for equipping it with a Scramjet engine, you would have to start from scratch.[/list]

The shuttle has wings and the x-37 has even smaller wings relative to its size. So I don’t see why wings are a problem for rocket control. As for weight I thought it was fairly light for a space plane. As for making it bigger how much bigger would it have to be to deliver the same payload to space but as an upper stage. I would like some numbers for various velocities at separation. At least up to mach 10 before separation if not higher.

RobertDyck · 2005-08-20 18:32:05

I see this as America's version of ATV or Progress, that is an unmanned cargo ship for ISS, not a replacement for ISS. Nothing can replace the station to test human life support and human operation in space for 26 months at a stretch.

Let's see, $77 million per launch for Atlas V 401 in 1999 dollars, add a little for inflation and add a bit for X-37 processing; say $80 million total. It carries 500 pounds (227 kg) of cargo so that works out to $160,000 per pound to ISS. Not exactly cheap.

The Shuttle costs $750 million per flight now, due to extra costs for return-to-flight but the budget does not reduce the annual cost for next year or later. I can understand why costs went up for the fix, but they should come down again after the fix is complete. Anyway, at 16,050 kg to ISS is 35,384 pounds so that works out to $21,196 per pound. Yuck! This price is too high but lower than X-37.

The European ATV can life 7.5 tonnes (7,500 kg) to ISS. Not quite as much as Shuttle but much better than X-37. Ariane 5G cost $180 million in 2000 dollars, add a bit for ATV; say $200 million total. That works out to $12,096 per pound. Not what we would like but better than Shuttle.

GCNRevenger · 2005-08-20 18:34:33

Because they would be on top, and not in the middle like Shuttle's. Shuttle also fires its main engines at an angle, which makes its performance suffer. Performance the X-37 design can't afford to give up. X-37 is slated to ride inside of a payload shroud on Delta-IV probobly.

X-37 is fairly heavy given the amount of payload it is designed to carry (500lbs).

X-37 is only being designed for pretty limited velocity change, it surely wouldn't be anywhere near enough to reach orbit from a Mach-10 first stage seperation.

X-37 itself wouldn't make a good cargo ferry to anywhere, it would probobly be too small to support a hatch, and it can't carry enough payload to be worthwhile.

...What it COULD do is replace the ISS for zero-gravity science that might be worth doing at a fraction of the cost of continuing the project. Fly a fleet of three or four anually at $90-100M a pop, which is a quarter of the cost of ISS operations for similar science payload as an ESA ATV and you get downmass for "free".

John Creighton · 2005-08-20 18:43:58

Because they would be on top, and not in the middle like Shuttle's. Shuttle also fires its main engines at an angle, which makes its performance suffer. Performance the X-37 design can't afford to give up. X-37 is slated to ride inside of a payload shroud on Delta-IV probobly.
X-37 is fairly heavy given the amount of payload it is designed to carry (500lbs).
X-37 is only being designed for pretty limited velocity change, it surely wouldn't be anywhere near enough to reach orbit from a Mach-10 first stage seperation.
X-37 itself wouldn't make a good cargo ferry to anywhere, it would probobly be too small to support a hatch, and it can't carry enough payload to be worthwhile.
...What it COULD do is replace the ISS for zero-gravity science that might be worth doing at a fraction of the cost of continuing the project. Fly a fleet of three or four anually at $90-100M a pop, which is a quarter of the cost of ISS operations for similar science payload as an ESA ATV.

I don’t see why it should be heavy considering it has considerably wing area per volume then most other space planes. Perhaps it only weighs so much compared to the payload it delivers because it is small.

GCNRevenger · 2005-08-20 18:55:01

The USAF probobly built it to carry extra fuel for orbital plane changes, so you might be able to squeeze a little payload out of it... all I know is, it weighs 13,000lbs but only carries 500lbs, a measly 4% payload fraction. Its about the right size though.

SpaceNut · 2006-03-25 21:28:56

Glitch scotches aircraft test; First flight of engineless X-37 halted called off Friday because of a technical glitch with a data link.

To bad that it was scrubbed since this would have used the White Knight as the carrier plane.

publiusr · 2006-03-29 15:02:45

Warmed over OSP crud.

cIclops · 2006-11-17 17:50:03

The X-37 is back! Now as the X-37B

U.S. Air Force Pushes For Orbital Test Vehicle

By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 17 November 2006
11:43 am ET
The U.S. Air Force announced today that it is developing an Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), based on the design of a NASA X-37 craft.
It is to be designated as the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle.
The U.S. Air Force has decided to continue full-scale development and on-orbit testing of an unmanned long-duration, reusable space vehicle.
The new OTV effort dovetails off of industry and government investments by Air Force, NASA, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The OTV effort will be led by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and includes partnerships with NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Boeing is the prime contractor for the OTV program—the same firm that was lead on the old NASA X-37 technology demonstrator.
According to a statement from the Secretary of the Air Force, the OTV program will focus on “risk reduction, experimentation, and operational concept development for reusable space vehicle technologies, in support of long term developmental space objectives.”
First flight
The first orbital test flight of the OTV is planned for fiscal year 2008, with a launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on an Atlas V launch vehicle.

SpaceNut · 2006-11-17 21:38:10

Saw this and a few other write ups like this Air Force advances space vehicle development with there pronouncing to continue full-scale development and on-orbit testing of an unmanned long-duration, reusable space vehicle.

Following transfer from NASA to DARPA in October 2004, the X-37 technology demonstrator, the Approach and Landing Test Vehicle, recently completed a series of captive carry and free flight tests from a commercial aircraft. The ALTV validated the X-37 program flight dynamics and extended the flight envelope beyond the earlier low speed/low altitude tests conducted by NASA. The ALTV, in its current configuration, is not capable of space flight.

Does not seem that it was all that long ago but still they have not the pride to even say that the ship that was used to carry the X37 to do its testing with was the White Knight. Why so secretive...

cIclops · 2006-11-18 02:35:52

Does not seem that it was all that long ago but still they have not the pride to even say that the ship that was used to carry the X37 to do its testing with was the White Knight. Why so secretive...

Why didn't they mention White Knight? Because it's a minor detail. Why so secretive? It's a military project.

GCNRevenger · 2006-11-18 09:14:47

The X-37 might evolve to become a reuseable on-demand spy satellite. Knowing things like its mass, fuel load, etc you can get a rough guess of how well the thing can maneuver, and so an enemy could figure out where to hide things where the 37' couldn't reach for instance.

cIclops · 2006-11-18 14:21:53

more details: Unmanned vehicle provides reusable test capabilities in space

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is similar to the space shuttle, except it's about a fourth the size and unmanned. The OTV can return from space on its own, said Lt. Col. Kevin Walker, an Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office program manager.
"All you do from the ground is send up the command for it to de-orbit, then stand back and it de-orbits itself," he said. "The OTV gets itself ready for re-entry, descends through the atmosphere, lines up on the runway, puts down its landing gear ... and it does it all on its own."
The vehicle will land at either Vandenberg or Edwards Air Force bases in California.
The OTV will serve as a test platform for satellites and other space technologies. The vehicle allows satellite sensors, subsystems, components and associated technology to be transported into the environment where they will be used -- space.
Scientists will prepare components in the OTV's experiment bay, and then the craft is launched into space aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle. Once in space, the OTV begins testing its payload. Colonel Walker said the doors aboard the craft could simply open, exposing the experiment bay, or mission scientists could design more elaborate experiments.
"You could design something to extend itself out of the experiment bay, or have it on a retractable arm, or it could just stay inside the bay," Colonel Walker said. "The OTV is a very flexible space test platform for any number of various experiments."

Hmm, "a fourth the size" of the shuttle, that would be payload of about 5 mT, could this be used to bring cargo back from ISS?

GCNRevenger · 2006-11-18 15:23:54

Probably closer to 1-2MT, given the cube/square law.

I have a better idea: why not have the X-37 REPLACE the ISS? Send and retrieve automated experiments on the thing, skip the whole space station business.

Hmmm wonder if you could put the thing on top of a Falcon-I upper stage, and then put that on top of the USAF's hybrid launch vehicle.

cIclops · 2006-11-19 07:05:42

Yep you seem to be right, here's a X-37 factsheet

The X-37 is nearly 27.5 feet long and weighs about 5 tons at launch. Its wingspan is approximately 15 feet, and it contains an experiment bay 7 feet long and 4 feet
in diameter.

Replacing the ISS with it is an interesting idea, but where would you find a crew small enough?

GCNRevenger · 2006-11-19 13:40:28

What do you need them for? You don't really need them now for most stuff, the experiments sit in the rack for a while and then the samples inside are brought back down. Plus this way, you don't have to live with the vibration from the stations' life support systems for delicate stuff.

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#1 2005-08-20 16:07:18

Re: X-37

#2 2005-08-20 16:13:43

Re: X-37

#3 2005-08-20 16:18:43

Re: X-37

#4 2005-08-20 16:29:44

Re: X-37

#5 2005-08-20 16:37:38

Re: X-37

#6 2005-08-20 16:55:15

Re: X-37

#7 2005-08-20 17:05:19

Re: X-37

#8 2005-08-20 17:11:55

Re: X-37

#9 2005-08-20 17:30:11

Re: X-37

#10 2005-08-20 17:39:48

Re: X-37

#11 2005-08-20 17:51:55

Re: X-37

#12 2005-08-20 18:32:05

Re: X-37

#13 2005-08-20 18:34:33

Re: X-37

#14 2005-08-20 18:43:58

Re: X-37

#15 2005-08-20 18:55:01

Re: X-37

#16 2006-03-25 21:28:56

Re: X-37

#17 2006-03-29 15:02:45

Re: X-37

#18 2006-11-17 17:50:03

Re: X-37

#19 2006-11-17 21:38:10

Re: X-37

#20 2006-11-18 02:35:52

Re: X-37

#21 2006-11-18 09:14:47

Re: X-37

#22 2006-11-18 14:21:53

Re: X-37

#23 2006-11-18 15:23:54

Re: X-37

#24 2006-11-19 07:05:42

Re: X-37

#25 2006-11-19 13:40:28

Re: X-37

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