In the United States earned a new protective system.
A few hours ago the SpaceX company made the first launch vehicle Boeing X-37 (X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV). The customer of the start made by the United States air force, mission objectives are not disclosed. The launch of the Boeing X-37 was carried out on the rocket Atlas 5, made on ULA (United Launch Alliance) — before the military was entrusted only to her. Now everything has changed.
The mission of OTV-5 moderate running Falcon 9 rocket from launch complex LC-39A Kennedy Space center near Cape Canaveral. The first stage of the carrier, made a successful landing on land Landing Zone 1. It happened almost a day before Florida, where the spaceport will reach hurricane “Irma”. The probability of launch at the beginning of a five-hour launch window, was estimated at fifty percent.
Boeing X-37 goes into orbit and lands in the same manner as the devices of the Space Shuttle. Length reusable orbital plane of 8.83 meters (four times less than the Space Shuttle), a wingspan of 4.6 meters, weight five tons. The spaceplane is equipped with solar panels, flight and landing are automated. The first launch mini space Shuttle took place on April 22, 2010. The penultimate flight of Boeing X-37 ended in may of 2017, was the longest (718 days). Only the US air force, is believed to have two Boeing X-37, they start alternating. Most likely, SpaceX made a third launch of the first of the X-37. A total of seven years in earth orbit, both the Boeing X-37 carried 2085 days.
X-37 began in 1999 through the joint efforts of NASA and Boeing. The ship was supposed to be used for the repair of near-earth satellites at altitudes of approximately 700 km (in fact the X-37 flies, according to the observations of Amateur astronomers, at the height of 320-400 kilometers). However, in 2004, the program was kept secret and given to the Agency for defense advanced research projects USA (DARPA). Since the budgets associated with the Boeing X-37, are unknown.
Space polygon
Officially declared purpose of the flight X-37 — “development of promising technologies.” What, the Pentagon did not specify. Apparently, a mini Shuttle designed to destroy space satellites, and one of the goals of the project is to test the economic efficiency of this method compared to missile systems.
Each mission the X-37 is accompanied by an additional program. For example, in the last, very long flight of American military together with NASA tested an ion rocket engine. Space Agency in the framework of the METIS project (Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space) studied the characteristics of advanced materials in space conditions.
On the last start it is known that together with the X-37 in the interests of the United States air force launched several cube-Sats. It is reported that the second stage of the Falcon 9 entered the atmosphere of the planet is at an increased angle is probably small satellites released somewhere over Australia. Withdrawn if these devices into orbit from the cargo Bay of a mini-Shuttle or disconnected directly from the rocket, unknown, stream start, after separation of the first stage ceased. Also as part of the OTV-5 aboard the X-37 will be tested heat diffuser ASETS-II (Advanced Structurally Embedded Thermal Spreader) for microelectronic devices.
One for all
For SpaceX it’s the thirteenth start-up in 2017, in just the last eight months on the Falcon 9 rocket performed for 24 percent of all space launches in the world. In the United States accounted for 35 percent of the starts in Russia — only 20 percent (if you consider the launches of Soyuz from Kourou in French Guiana, which can be formally attributed to the European Arianespace), China — 15 percent. SpaceX works more efficient than the public space of the Corporation and the Falcon 9 rocket is truly universal.
First, it runs not only the civil, military and commercial satellites, but also the truck to the ISS Dragon, and now a mini-Shuttle X-37. Second, the Falcon 9 can be launched from three platforms — the Atlantic (LC-39A and SLC-40 in Florida) and the Pacific (SLC-4E in California) oceans. Thirdly, the spent first stage of the Falcon 9 landed so often that it is no surprise planned SpaceX lowering the cost of launch of Falcon 9 by 30 percent. In addition, by 2018 test launch of manned spacecraft Dragon 2 on this. Finally, the payloads, the Falcon 9 is quite comparable with the Russian “Proton”, which brings to low earth orbit by a few hundred pounds more (“proton” is powerful, but it starts much further North).
Growth point
SpaceX pushed ULA, a joint venture of aerospace giants Lockheed Martin and Boeing, its main competitor in the U.S. market. On the external market, the company Mask walked Roskosmos and the European Arianespace. The Pentagon sees SpaceX as a reliable partner. The Minister of the U.S. air force Heather Wilson at a meeting of the armed services Committee of the U.S. Senate noted that SpaceX provides “guaranteed access to space at an extremely competitive price.”
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