What is the x-37B doing?
What is the x-37B doing?
“Sophisticated and uncrewed, the X-37B advances reusable spaceplane technologies and operates experiments in space that are returned for further examination on earth,” Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett said in a statement.
Why can’t planes fly into space?
There’s simply no air to travel over and under an airplane’s wings in space, which is a main reason airplanes can’t fly in space. Another reason airplanes can’t fly in space is because they require air to generate combustion. Since there isn’t any air in space, airplanes must stay within the Earth’s atmosphere.
How many planes does Virgin Galactic have?
Virgin Galactic plans to operate a fleet of five SpaceShipTwo spaceplanes in a private passenger-carrying service and has been taking bookings for some time, with a suborbital flight carrying an updated ticket price of US$250,000.
Why can’t jets fly into space?
There’s simply no air to travel over and under an airplane’s wings in space, which is a main reason airplanes can’t fly in space. Jets, for example, burn a combination of jet fuel and air in their engines’ combustion chamber. As the jet fuel and air burn, it produces thrust to propel the jet through the air.
What is the X-37B space plane?
X-37B: The Air Force’s Mysterious Space Plane. This NASA Marshall Space Flight Center image shows on-orbit functions for the reusable X-37B space plane, now under the wing of the U.S. Air Force. Update for May 8: The X-37B has landed! The fourth classifed Orbital Test Vehicle mission ended with a successful landing on May 7, 2017.
When will the X-37B space plane launch OTV-6?
Update for May 15, 2020: The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B space plane will launch on its sixth mission, OTV-6, on Saturday (May 16) at 8:24 a.m. EDT (1224 GMT). Here’s how to watch it live! The U.S. Air Force’s unmanned X-37B space plane has flown four clandestine missions to date, carrying secret payloads on long-duration flights in Earth orbit.
How many X-37B rockets have been sent to space?
Two different X-37B vehicles have flown a total of five missions, which are known as OTV-1, OTV-2, OTV-3 and OTV-4 (short for Orbital Test Vehicle). Four flights have reached space with the help of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket. The fifth launched in September 2017 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
What is the size of the X-37B payload bay?
The X-37B’s payload bay (the area in which the cargo is packed) measures 7 feet long by 4 feet wide (2.1 by 1.2 m) — about the size of a pickup truck bed.
