Boeing X-37

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The Boeing X-37 Advanced Technology Demonstrator is a demonstration spaceplane that is intended to test future launch technologies while in orbit and during atmospheric reentry. It is a reusable robotic spacecraft that is a 120%-scaled derivative of the X-40A. It flew its first flight as a drop test on April 7, 2006 at Edwards AFB.

Contents

1 Introduction
2 Drop Test Timeline
3 Specifications (Boeing X-37)

3.1 General characteristics
3.2 Performance

4 External links
5 Related content

Introduction

In 1999, NASA selected the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems to design and develop the vehicle. It will be built by the California branch of Boeing's Phantom Works.

The X-37 was transferred from NASA to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on September 13, 2004. The program has become a classified project, though it is not known whether DARPA will maintain this status for the project. NASA's spaceflight program will be centered around the Crew Exploration Vehicle, while DARPA will promote the X-37 as part of the independent space policy which the Department of Defense has pursued since the Challenger disaster.

This vehicle has the potential to become America's first operational military space plane, after the cancellation of Dyna-Soar. It is expected to operate in a velocity range of up to Mach 25. Among the technologies to be demonstrated with the X-37 are improved thermal protection systems, avionics, the autonomous guidance system, and an advanced airframe. The on-board engine is the Rocketdyne AR-2/3, which is fueled by hydrogen peroxide and JP-8.

The X-37 was originally designed to be carried into orbit in the space shuttle cargo bay, but underwent redesign for launch on a Delta IV or comparable rocket, when it was determined a shuttle flight would be uneconomical.

The vehicle currently operating is an atmospheric drop test vehicle. It has no propulsion system, and where the payload bay doors of an operational vehicle would be, it has a fixed strongback structure instead, to allow it to be mated with a mothership. Also, most of the thermal protection tiles are fake, made of inexpensive foam, rather than ceramic. (Certain tiles in key areas are genuine, as are the TPS blankets in areas where heating is not severe enough to require tiles.) The follow up orbital vehicle, if constructed, will likely be classified. It may be referred to under a different X-plane designation, since it would be at that time a DARPA project.

Drop Test Timeline

On September 2 2004 it was reported that, for its initial atmospheric drop tests, the X-37 would be launched from the Scaled Composites White Knight, a high-altitude research aircraft better known for launching Scaled's SpaceShipOne.

On June 21 2005 the X-37 completed a "captive-carry" flight underneath the White Knight at Mojave Spaceport, Mojave, California.

Through the second half of 2005, the X-37 underwent structural upgrades including "beefing-up" of the nose-wheel supports. Further captive-carry flight tests and the first drop-test are expected mid-February 2006.

March 10 2006 was scheduled for X-37's public debut—first free-flight, to be broadcast live on NASA TV. However, an arctic storm covered the area, dropping snow on the Mojave. X-37 remained in the airport's Hangar 77, with an occasional engineer popping out onto the flightline to snap pics of the snow. (from [Alan Radecki's Mojave photo weblog]).

The next attempt at a flight, on March 15 2006, was cancelled due to high winds. (again from [The Mojave photo weblog]).

March 24 2006: Although the X-37 flies, datalink failure prevents the free-flight and the vehicle returns to the ground still docked with the White Knight carrier.

April 7 2006: The X-37 makes its first free flight. During landing, however, an "anomaly" caused the vehicle to run off the runway, sustaining minor damage.

May 2006: The program moves back into the "black", leaving Mojave and moving to Palmdale's Air Force Plant 42. Reportedly, DARPA was not "comfortable" with the public and media scrutiny after the landing anomaly. For future missions, White Knight will relocated to Palmdale the day before the mission is to launch.

Specifications (Boeing X-37)

General characteristics

Crew: none
Capacity:
Length: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Wingspan: 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m)
Height: ft in ( m)
Wing area: ft² ( m²)
Empty: lb ( kg)
Loaded: 12,000 lb (5,450 kg)
Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
Powerplant: initially none, follow up vehicle may have 1× Rocketdyne AR2-3, 29.3 kN (6,580 lb_f) thrust (vacuum)

Performance

Maximum speed: mph ( km/h)
Range: miles ( km)
Service ceiling: ft ( m)
Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
Thrust-to-weight:

American X-planes
Bell X-1 Bell X-2 Starbuster Douglas X-3 Stiletto Northrop X-4 Bantam Bell X-5 Convair X-6 Lockheed X-7 Aerojet General X-8 Bell X-9 Shrike North American X-10	Convair X-11 Convair X-12 Ryan X-13 Vertijet Bell X-14 North American X-15 Bell X-16 Lockheed X-17 Hiller X-18 Curtiss-Wright X-19 Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar	Northrop X-21 Bell X-22 Martin-Marietta X-23 Martin-Marietta X-24 Bensen X-25 Schweizer X-26 Frigate Lockheed X-27 Lancer Pereira X-28 Sea Skimmer Grumman X-29 Rockwell X-30	Rockwell-MBB X-31 Boeing X-32 Lockheed Martin X-33 Orbital Sciences X-34 Lockheed Martin X-35 McDonnell Douglas X-36 Boeing X-37 NASA X-38 AFRL X-39 Boeing X-40	USAF X-41 Common Aero Vehicle USAF X-42 Pop-Up Upper Stage Boeing X-43 Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA Boeing X-45 Boeing X-46 Northrop Grumman X-47 Pegasus Boeing X-48 Sikorsky Piasecki X-49 Boeing X-50 Dragonfly Boeing X-51