Air Force X-37B Space Shuttle Lands After 718 Days in Space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The U.S. Air Force unmanned scientific and military research space shuttle safely returned to America's Space Coast on Sunday completing 718 days in orbit.

The fourth flight of the fully automated shuttle began its deorbit early Sunday, and reentered the Earth's atmosphere about 25 minutes prior to the 8:00 a.m. EDT landing at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility.

"The landing of OTV-4 marks another success for the X-37B program and the nation," Lt. Col. Ron Fehlen, X-37B program manager, said. "This mission once again set an on-orbit endurance record and marks the vehicle's first landing in the state of Florida. We are incredibly pleased with the performance of the space vehicle and are excited about the data gathered to support the scientific and space communities."

Sunday's landing marked the X-37B's first return from space to land at the Florida Spaceport, and it will not be the last. The X-37B manufacture Boeing is renting the space center's Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 to off-load experiments, refurbish the craft, and prepare it for relaunch from the Cape. Bay 1 was used for over three decades to service NASA's fleet of space shuttle's.

Once the command to return to Earth is given by the Air Force, the X-37B automatically descends from low earth orbit, reenters, and flies through the atmosphere to land on a planned runway. There is no one in a control room with a joystick flying it.

The program's fourth test flight into future robotic space planes began with its launch a top a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in May 2015 from Cape Canaveral AFS. The 29-foot long shuttle resembles NASA's space shuttle orbiters at first glance, however the X-37B is 80% smaller fitted with small wings, twin vertical stableizers, and a windowless avionics cockpit.

“Today marks an incredibly exciting day for the 45th Space Wing as we continue to break barriers,” Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, commander of 45th Space Wing said. “Our team has been preparing for this event for several years, and I am extremely proud to see our hard work and dedication culminate in today’s safe and successful landing of the X-37B.”

In 1999, NASA begun the X37 project, however the space agency handed it over to DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) in September 2004. DARPA is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

DARPA, originally formed in 1958 as the Advanced Research Projects Agency, is an office designed to prevent technological surprises against the United States, such as the Soviets launch of Sputnik in 1957. The OTV project partnership between the military, DARPA and NASA was announced in October 2006.

This flight was performed by the second mini shuttle of the Air Force's two shuttle fleet. The Air Force office also announced on Sunday the next X-37B will launch in late-2017. That launch will see the reflight of Boeing's first flown shuttle on it's third mission.

(Charles Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Air Force's Space Plane Orbits Earth

An Atlas rocket placed a winged spacecraft into orbit for the Air Force tonight which will test new technologies and could pave the way for a smaller military space shuttle.

The delta winged X37-B space plane is a test vehicle and will orbit earth for an unknown time -- likely several days to several weeks.

"If these technologies on the vehicle prove to be as good as we estimate, it will make our access to space more responsive, perhaps cheaper, and push us in the vector toward being able to react to war fighter needs more quickly," stated Mr. Gary Payton, Air Force Deputy Under Secretary for Space Programs.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5-501 with the Orbital Test Vehicle lifted-off from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station this evening at 7:52:01 pm EDT (23:52 GMT).

The on time launch sent the white and bronze rocket into a beautiful sunsetting sky.

The single engine booster carried the 11,000 pound space plane up and out over the Atlantic Ocean. Following a several minute burn, the stage was cut loose and it's Centaur upper stage rocket began burning to carry the craft higher.

The final data point this reporter received from telemetry was at 8:08 pm, when the X37-B was 231 miles altitude and 245 miles down range from the Cape. It was then several hundred miles from orbital velocity (17,250 mph).

Twenty minutes after launch, the Air Force's new toy in space went into a protective news blackout for the remainder of the mission.

"As the first U.S. unmanned reentering space vehicle, the first of its kind, it has been remarkably easy to work with," stated Lt. Col. Erik Bowman of the 45th Launch Support Squadron. "Processing and preparations went extremely smooth, and there were absolutely no delays in the vehicle processing."

Over the course of several days to several weeks, the X37-B space plane will under go several tests as it flies unmanned some 350 miles or higher in earth orbit.

According to an Air Force statement following launch, "The X-37B will conduct various experiments and allow satellite sensors, subsystems, components and associated technology to be efficiently transported to and from the space environment where it will need to function. A number of new technologies will also be tested on the OTV itself."

Once the Air Force sends commands to send the reusable space plane home, it will reenter just like the space shuttle with a nose pitched up and wings level.

It will glide home under no human control, and will aim for a touchdown on runway 12 at Vandenberg, AFB in California.

The Air Force stated to this reported recently that the ground will be helpless as the X37-B drops towards California. There is no one guiding it home from a command center as landing occurs.

An exact landing date or time may not be known until minutes before the actual touchdown occurs.

Air Force Space Plane set to Launch Thursday

Air Force's X37-B primed for launch this week. (USAF)

A prototype of an advanced space plane by the U.S. Air Force will make it's debut on Thursday as it heads into space a top an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

The 29-foot long, 11,000-pound Orbital Test Vehicle (X37-B) is a white winged craft with a similar style as the U.S. space shuttle.

"The OTV has the potential to revolutionize how the Air Force operates in space by making space operations more aircraft like and adding in the capability for returnable plug-and-play experiments," David Hamilton, Director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities office stated last week.

In 1999, NASA begun the X37 project, however the space agency handed it over to DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) in September 2004. DARPA is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

DARPA, originally formed in 1958 as the Advanced Research Projects Agency, is an office designed to prevent technological surprises against the United States, such as the Soviets launch of Sputnik in 1957.

The OTV project partnership between the military, DARPA and NASA was announced in October 2006.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5-501 remains set to lift-off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's launch complex 41 on April 22nd at 7:52 pm EDT (2352 GMT). The launch window closes at 8:01 pm.

This reporter has learned from a source that the Boeing-built X-37B will launch into a low earth orbit of about 350 miles high, and stay up for over 100 days. The craft has the ability to stay aloft for 270 days, the Air Force stated to this reporter.

During the classified year ahead, the robotic spacecraft will be maneuvered around and will test it's "advanced guidance, navigation and control, thermal protection systems, avionics and high temperature structures and seals", Staff Sgt. Vanessa Young reported.

The orbital vehicle will be powered via Gallium Arsenide Solar Cells with lithium-Ion batteries.

Once the Air Force brings the reusable space plane home, it will reenter just like the space shuttle and will aim for a touchdown on runway 12 at Vandenberg, AFB.

The belly of the vehicle is protected with a black thermal protection system designed by NASA. The X37-B has a wing span of 14 feet, 11 inches from tip to tip.

Lt. Col. Troy Giese, the OTV systems program director said, "Upon being given the command to return to Earth, the X-37B will automatically descend through the atmosphere and land on the designated runway. There is no one on the ground with a joystick flying it."

If weather or technical issues arise on landing day, then Edwards, AFB will be called up with it's longer runway.

The question on the minds of most in both military and civilian uniforms are asking if this is a one time event, or the start of a second generation space shuttle.

The military was to have taken over shuttle Discovery in 1986 for DoD flights from Vandenberg. However fuel contamination issues and the Challenger break-up forced the cancellation of a military launch pad in California.

Following a successful flight, the next OTV flight is slated for mid-2011.