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http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0422/Pentagon-X-37-space-plane-to-launch-amid-secrecy... The 29-foot spacecraft resembles a mini space shuttle and will launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida between about 7:50 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern time atop an Atlas V rocket. (Click here for the webcast.)
Other than the launch itself, which Air Force officials jokingly concede they couldn’t keep secret even if they tried, most of what the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle program is all about is classified
...Some details emerge
Broadly speaking, the program is expected to test the Air Force's ability to launch the spacecraft , keep it up for months at a time, return it to earth, and fly again. The length of its visit to space appears central to the mission.
The X-37 is able to fly for as long as 270 days powered, the Air Force hopes, by a combination of lithium ion batteries and a set of solar panels. Air Force officials will want to see how well the lithium ion batteries onboard stand up to the long deployment. The batteries are “recharged” by a set of solar panels inside the spacecraft that will emerge once the craft has deployed from the rocket that will carry it into space...
Topher925 said:Well this kinda came out of nowhere. Heres a little more information from a not so religious sources.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077821/ns/technology_and_science-space/
The X-37 space plane is an unmanned spacecraft developed by the United States Air Force. It is designed to perform long-duration space missions and return to Earth autonomously.
The specific launch date of the X-37 space plane is not publicly announced. However, it is expected to fly in the near future.
The exact purpose of the X-37 space plane is classified, but it is believed to be used for testing new technologies and conducting experiments in space.
The X-37 space plane can stay in orbit for up to 270 days. However, its previous missions have lasted for over 700 days, making it the longest spaceflight by any reusable spacecraft.
The X-37 space plane is not intended to be a threat to any country. Its purpose is for scientific research and technological development, and it does not carry any weapons.