Secret Aircraft

[EZO]

Very cool photos Lips!

 

[EZO]

They make me think of the Space Shuttle's "Orbital Maneuvering System", which were a set of smaller engines used for.... well, I don't have to tell you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Orbital_Maneuvering_System

Steve K.


edit:
Looking at the How Stuff Works page on the OMS, it mentions the fuel that is used:
"The OMS engines burn monomethyl hydrazine fuel (CH3NHNH2) and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer (N2O4). "
It also mentions that the OMS is used to slow the craft for re-entry. After each use, the fuel lines are purged to get that stuff out of the lines:
"When the engines shut off, the nitrogen goes from the valves into the fuel lines momentarily to flush the lines of any remaining fuel and oxidizer; this purge of the line prevents any unwanted explosions."
Seems like that might result in some being on the exterior of the craft, which might explain why the ground crew for the X-37B were wearing hazmat suits. .... just a theory...

I came across this NASA sourced graphic of the X-37B. It shows a hydrogen peroxide tank and a JP-8 kerosene based jet fuel tank. Hmmm. Well, it's was "secret" project that apparently dates all the way back to 1999 or before, so who knows. Curiously, the graphic doesn't show any engines other than the rear nozzle. Maybe it really runs on vinegar and baking soda?

I also came across a couple of other good photos of the craft. One featuring a good view of the heat tiles and a nice thermal image.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Every time I see a windowless drone I can't help but think of GIGER'S EYELESS ALIEN. The Globalhawk is a good example of a Gigeresque look.

 

[EZO]

Every time I see a windowless drone I can't help but think of GIGER'S EYELESS ALIEN. The Globalhawk is a good example of a Gigeresque look.

Funny you should mention a creature. The photo in my previous post #42 of the nose of the craft showing the heat tiles reminded me of the scales of a reptile like in my avatar photo.

 

[blasterman]

Given the technology that was available at the the time the SR-71 in my book is an astounding example of what good engineers can come up given solid direction and resources. Kelly Johnson an Co built one helluva aircraft that looks faster standing still in a hangar than most aircraft at Mach 1.2 I remember when I was a kid watching the nightly news and seeing reports of the mysterious sonic booms off the East Coast as SR-71's headed over to Asia for recon flights. More than a few transcripts out there from air traffic controllers monitoring SR-71's that were coming in from their retirement flights and flying faster than their scopes could register over the Western US.

I've known a few people that worked out at Area 51 and related facilities. They laugh when they hear the UFO stuff and say "If you knew what really goes on out there and what we do, you'd be really, really bored".

Rather that put a tarp over secret U.S. test aircraft the DoD should just straddle them with a mannequin of Vladimir Putin

 

[JemR]

Given the technology that was available at the the time the SR-71 in my book is an astounding example of what good engineers can come up given solid direction and resources.

Sorry to go a little off topic, but. You are quite right blasterman. I saw Concorde flying many times. It's from the same era. And every time it was a wonder. It came over my neighbourhood escorted by the Red Arrows Display Team one time, very low on their way to Central London for a Royal flypast. Takes you breath away.

 

[AnAppleSnail]

More than a few transcripts out there from air traffic controllers monitoring SR-71's that were coming in from their retirement flights and flying faster than their scopes could register over the Western US.

The pilots tell good stories:

Clicky

 

[StarHalo]

got to touch a SR71 Titanium skin at an air museum, awesome!

I got to play underneath one and even stick my head in the landing gear bay - lots of NASA-esque gold foil in there. Pretty much all of the SR-71 program is now declassified (minus details on navigation equipment), you can Google its project name, "Senior Crown", and there are a few books that have been written by former captains, detailing missions and adventures..

 

[fyrstormer]

My guess re: the X37B is that it's used to retrieve classified materials from spy satellites, among other servicing operations. Sure, the old Hexagon satellites used to drop their film canisters in re-entry modules, but a remote-controlled reusable vehicle can land in precisely the same location each time -- or conveniently explode if something goes wrong.

 

[AnAppleSnail]

My guess re: the X37B is that it's used to retrieve classified materials from spy satellites, among other servicing operations. Sure, the old Hexagon satellites used to drop their film canisters in re-entry modules, but a remote-controlled reusable vehicle can land in precisely the same location each time -- or conveniently explode if something goes wrong.

My knee-jerk reaction is "Satellites don't use film anymore!" but then my photography spoke up. Film can do things digital sensors can't practically do, such as year-long exposures. Satellite service makes sense - if lifting 100 kg of hydrazine, replacement battery modules, and film / etc saves a 1000kg satellite that cost a pretty penny, then money is saved.

Interestingly, there are some extremely-low-fuel-use methods to change orbit. They are not used in the space shuttle because of the time involved. One can generate an electric field that pushes or drags on the Earth's, allowing slow orbital changes. One way to de-orbit satellites is to pay out a conductive tether and wait. Without using any power, the wire is charged by the Earth's magnetic field and produces a small drag, pulling the orbit lower and lower. Robots can wait for months while this happens - humans cannot.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Funny you should mention a creature. The photo in my previous post #42 of the nose of the craft showing the heat tiles reminded me of the scales of a reptile like in my avatar photo.

Yes. I thought the nose photo looked like an anaconda....without any eyes.

 

[F250XLT]

I could get comfortable, crack a beer, start the slide show, and listen to you guys talk for days...This really is interesting stuff, stuff that I know absolutely nothing about.

So a few stupid questions, if I may...

In a nutshell, what is the X37B used for?

What is the hydrogen peroxide tank for?

How does this thing get into space, via rocket type enclosure?

 

[Sub_Umbra]

It rides into space on a booster. Unlike the shuttle which was confined to the lower half of Near Earth Orbit, the X-37B is operational in orbits forty times farther out. It is a test bed for autonomously servicing sats (IMO).

It is so tiny that it is virtually unobservable in space. It is also virtually untrackable.

It's the coolest black hardware out there right now, that we know about.

It's also a thought problem. A puzzle.

 

[Launch Mini]

I too am enjoying this thread.
We drove around Area 51 year ago ( on our way to Vegas), that was kind of freaky seeing all the security cameras in the desert miles away from the actual Area 51.

 

[Launch Mini]

Just my thought, if they use this drone to collect & return "Data" there is a lower chance the data can be intercepted ( ie vs radio signals back to earth).
So not only film, but digital data could be collected & returned to earth.
Now that I have typed this, I am sure they going to monitor my computer now.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Things are so complicated today. In the last century the capabilities of space borne assets was always held close to the vest. They were special secrets so very little solid info existed on them. Still, the effects of these black assets do trickle down and impact our lives in places where we may see it. The problem is, will we recognize it when we see it?

In the second half of the 20th century you could pretty much figure out spy sat resolutions just by reading signed missile treaties. It was a closely held secret but the silo diameter stipulations in the treaties told the story about how well our sats could see. While the tells for the X-37B won't be that easy, it does exist in the physical world and as such it must obey some rules.

With something as obscure as the X-37B we just have to take the very few things we do know and then plug in different things into the blank spaces that are possible in physics until we figure it out.

I think that there's a lot of knowable stuff in the holes between the facts.

 

[blasterman]

The pilots tell good stories:

Always a good read. Thanks for linking this awesome story.

Saw a few Concords' take off at Heathrow. Besides shaking the entire airport you always worried it would be able to clear the roof tops because the Concord had a climb ratio marginally better than a flock of geese.

Actually knew one of the Engineers who worked on the Keyhole Sat program, and it was surprising how much he was willing to yack about.

 

[TedTheLed]

I saw two Auroras fly over head chaparoned by F 18s, they were black isosceles triangles, about 2 or 3 times the length of the F18s.. they flew in tight 'tandem' formation (if that is the right term) towards edwards..never saw them again..

 

[fyrstormer]

What is the hydrogen peroxide tank for?

Peroxide is physically stable, but chemically unstable, and so it makes a convenient, dense, easy-to-use liquid oxidizer for rocket fuel. I believe Russian liquid-fuel rockets run on jet fuel (i.e. purified kerosene) and peroxide. Torpedoes also use it as an oxygen supply for their tiny diesel engines. (or at least they used to, they might be electric now.)

 

[fyrstormer]

Just my thought, if they use this drone to collect & return "Data" there is a lower chance the data can be intercepted ( ie vs radio signals back to earth).
So not only film, but digital data could be collected & returned to earth.
Now that I have typed this, I am sure they going to monitor my computer now.

They have bigger fish to fry. Even if they noticed your post they'd get two sentences in and skip to the next one harvested off the internet without a second thought.