Friday, October 23, 2009

X-37 scheduled for launch, again

Artist's concept of the X-37 Advanced Technology Demonstrator, gliding to landing. Its design features a rounded fuselage topped by an experiment bay; short, double delta wings and twin stabilizers forming a "V" at the vehicle's aft. [NASA/Dryden (1999)]

Leonard David
FoxNEWS

"There is an air of vagueness regarding next year's Atlas Evolved Expendable launch of the unpiloted, reusable military space plane. The X-37B will be cocooned within the Atlas rocket's launch shroud — a ride that's far from cheap.

"While the launch range approval is still forthcoming, SPACE.com has learned that the U.S. Air Force has the X-37B manifested for an April 2010 liftoff.

"As a mini-space plane, this Boeing Phantom Works craft has been under development for years. Several agencies have been involved in the effort, NASA as well as the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA) and various arms of the U.S. Air Force."

Read the Story, HERE.

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