Image Credit: Boeing US Air Force's Boeing built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle 3 (OTV-3) successfully de-orbited and landed back at Va...
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Image Credit: Boeing |
The OTV-3 mission concluded a 674 day experimental test mission- the longest for the program. The unmanned, reusable space plane was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on Dec. 11, 2012.
The OTV-3 mission, extended the total number of days spent on-orbit by the OTV program to 1367 days over three missions, more than all the 135 Space Shuttle missions combined.
The first OTV mission began in April 22, 2010, and concluded on Dec. 3, 2010, after 224 days in orbit. The second OTV mission began March 5, 2011, and concluded on June 16, 2012, after 468 days on orbit.
The mysterious spacecraft program still remains classified and USAF has divulged only very few details about the aim and achievement of the program. USAF says, its objectives include space experimentation, risk reduction and concept-of-operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies that could become key enablers for future American space missions.
Based on NASA's X-37 program which began in 1999 and ran until September 2004 when it was transfered to DARPA, X-37B is vertically launched by United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle to low Earth orbit altitudes where it can perform long duration experimentation and testing. Upon command from the ground, the OTV autonomously re-enters the atmosphere, descends and lands horizontally on a runway.
The 4,990 kg spaceplane has a height of 2.9 meters, length of 8.9 meters and a wingspan of 4.5 meters. In orbit it is powered by Gallium Arsenide Solar Cells with Lithium-Ion batteries
The program is managed by the USAF Rapid Capabilities Office and operates two examples. USAF is preparing to launch the fourth X-37B mission from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 2015.
