* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: X-37B/OTV-2

Blobrana · L

X-37B lands this morning at Vandenberg AFB

The US Air Force's second mini space shuttle landed today at Vandenberg Air Force Base after it spent 469 days circling the planet.
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is an unmanned autonomous reusable space plane with a 4.5-metre wingspan and a length of 7.6 metres.
Landing occurred at 5:48 a.m. today, Air Force officials said.
Read more

Boeing today announced the successful de-orbit and landing of the second X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) for the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. The X-37B landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:48 a.m. Pacific time today, concluding a 469-day experimental test mission. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on March 5, 2011.
Read more

Blobrana · L

Military mini-shuttle returns from top secret mission

Blobrana · L

Secret U.S. military mini-shuttle lands in California

The U.S. military's unmanned X-37B robotic space shuttle returned from orbit at 5:48 a.m. in California (1248 GMT)from a secretive 15-month test flight, Air Force officials said on Saturday.
The miniature space plane, also known as Orbital Test Vehicle-2, or OTV-2, touched down at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles. It was only the second U.S. vehicle to make an autonomous runway landing from space.
Read more

Blobrana · L

A second X-37B mission, designated USA-226, was launched aboard an Atlas V rocket on 5 March 2011. The mission was classified and described by the U.S. military as an effort to test new space technologies. On 29 November 2011, the U.S. Air Force announced that it would extend the mission of USA-226 beyond the 270-day baseline design duration. In April 2012, General William L. Shelton of the Air Force Space Command declared the ongoing mission a "spectacular success". On 30 May 2012, the Air Force stated that OTV-2 would complete its mission and land at Vandenberg AFB in June 2012. The spacecraft landed on 16 June 2012, having spent over 460 days in space.
Read more

Blobrana · L

America's classified X-37B spaceplane is probably spying on China, according to a report in Spaceflight magazine.
The unpiloted vehicle was launched into orbit by the US Air Force in March last year and has yet to return to Earth.
Read more

Blobrana · L

Air Force's secret X-37B space plane lands after 15 months circling Earth

A secret unmanned space plane landed in California on Saturday (June 16), after circling the Earth for one year and 104 days on a clandestine mission.
The United States Air Force's Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), also known as the X-37B, touched down at 12:48 GMT at Vandenberg Air Force Base, approximately 241 kilometres northwest of Los Angeles. It rolled to a halt on a 5-kilometre concrete runway.
Read more

Blobrana · L

Preparations underway for X-37B landing

Preparations for the second landing of the X-37B, the Air Force's unmanned, reusable space plane, are underway at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
While the exact landing date and time will depend on technical and weather considerations, it is expected to occur during the early- to mid-June timeframe.
Read more

Vandenberg prepping for mini space shuttle landing

A 48-hour announcement of the landing is expected, since the Air Force must advise mariners and aviators to stay out of the area due to the impending landing.
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle launched March 5, 2011 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., for a top-secret mission in orbit.
Read more

Blobrana · L

The Orbital Test Vehicle-2, was launched from Cape Canaveral, on the 5th March 2011.

Blobrana · L

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-2