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Air Force's secret X-37B space plane lands in Cali
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Shameless Avenger
Can Preachers of Kador
#1 - 2012-06-17 01:25:22 UTC
" The U.S. Air Force's robotic X-37B space plane finally returned to Earth Saturday (June 16), wrapping up a mysterious mission that lasted more than year in orbit.

The unmanned X-37B spacecraft, also known as Orbital Test Vehicle-2 (OTV-2), glided back to Earth on autopilot, touching down at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:48 a.m. PDT "

Source (MSNBC)

=====================================================

A whole year on autopilot and didn't got ganked... Shocked

"This is the Ninja. He will scan you down; he will salvage your wrecks and there shall be no aggro"
Ituhata Saken
Killboard Padding Services
#2 - 2012-06-17 03:59:18 UTC
Secret planes being reported in the news. I sense failure.

So close...
Chainsaw Plankton
FaDoyToy
#3 - 2012-06-17 08:47:11 UTC
I liked this quote: "My words to others who might read anything else into that is, 'Just listen to what we're telling you,'" McKinney added. "This is, pure and simple, a test vehicle so we can prove technologies and capabilities."

@ChainsawPlankto on twitter
Surfin's PlunderBunny
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#4 - 2012-06-17 13:57:59 UTC
We're testing space UAVs so when we find aliens we can drone strike the hell out of them Big smile

"Little ginger moron" ~David Hasselhoff 

Want to see what Surf is training or how little isk Surf has?  http://eveboard.com/pilot/Surfin%27s_PlunderBunny
Karl Hobb
Imperial Margarine
#5 - 2012-06-17 15:09:25 UTC
Ituhata Saken wrote:
Secret planes being reported in the news. I sense failure.

:80's:

A professional astro-bastard was not available so they sent me.
Nyx Na'gorg
Doomheim
#6 - 2012-06-17 18:01:23 UTC
America didn't learn from the other "Secret UAV"?


Iran stole it.
Surfin's PlunderBunny
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#7 - 2012-06-17 19:19:33 UTC
Nyx Na'gorg wrote:
America didn't learn from the other "Secret UAV"?


Iran stole it.


That was staged, we gave it to them so they could try to be big and copy it so their country would go bankrupt. Brilliant! Big smile

"Little ginger moron" ~David Hasselhoff 

Want to see what Surf is training or how little isk Surf has?  http://eveboard.com/pilot/Surfin%27s_PlunderBunny
Linna Excel
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#8 - 2012-06-18 03:31:47 UTC
Ituhata Saken wrote:
Secret planes being reported in the news. I sense failure.


It was originally a nasa plane for experimental research. The military kinda messed up by hijacking the publicly known project instead of just building another plane and not telling anyone in the press.

I can has blogging skills!
Linna Excel
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#9 - 2012-06-18 03:33:06 UTC
Surfin's PlunderBunny wrote:
Nyx Na'gorg wrote:
America didn't learn from the other "Secret UAV"?


Iran stole it.


That was staged, we gave it to them so they could try to be big and copy it so their country would go bankrupt. Brilliant! Big smile


I say the US goes bankrupt first. We haven't had a year to year balanced budget since clinton and a debt ratio closing on what greece has.

I can has blogging skills!
Shameless Avenger
Can Preachers of Kador
#10 - 2012-06-18 05:54:33 UTC  |  Edited by: Shameless Avenger
From what I understand, this vehicle has a small cargo bay. However, the solar panels required to power the craft while in space, deploy from this cargo bay. This means the vehicle is launched with the cargo bay already occupied, so it's not for deploying satellites *up*.

However, you could have a few of these things up there and remotely order it to:

1) Jettison the solar panels and switch to battery power.
2) Approach enemy satellite.
3) Scope enemy satellite into cargo bay.
4) Bring Enemy satellite to Cali for analysis.

IMHO, this is a Ninja-Looting Drone.

"This is the Ninja. He will scan you down; he will salvage your wrecks and there shall be no aggro"
Alain Kinsella
#11 - 2012-06-18 10:38:46 UTC
Shameless Avenger wrote:

However, you could have a few of these things up there and remotely order it to:

1) Jettison the solar panels and switch to battery power.
2) Approach enemy satellite.
3) Scope enemy satellite into cargo bay.
4) Bring Enemy satellite to Cali for analysis.

IMHO, this is a Ninja-Looting Drone.


The runway on Groom Lake would probably be more accurate. In fact I'm surprised they didn't use it for this landing.

As for the OP, this should not be a surprise to anyone. The backstory for the F-117 and B2 reveal a decade or more of development for things like this, so its likely they decided to start working on their own thing after Columbia and/or Challenger. Possibly earlier.

"The Meta Game does not stop at the game. Ever."

Currently Retired / Semi-Casual (pending changes to RL concerns).
Caleidascope
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#12 - 2012-06-18 11:45:27 UTC
Shameless Avenger wrote:

IMHO, this is a Ninja-Looting Drone.

I wish it was true.

Life is short and dinner time is chancy

Eat dessert first!
FloppieTheBanjoClown
Arcana Imperii Ltd.
#13 - 2012-06-18 16:51:02 UTC
China's recent space activity was really an attempt to recover the spy satellite we scooped from orbit. The plane landed to avoid capture or destruction.

Founding member of the Belligerent Undesirables movement.
Surfin's PlunderBunny
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#14 - 2012-06-18 17:24:43 UTC
FloppieTheBanjoClown wrote:
China's recent space activity was really an attempt to recover the spy satellite we scooped from orbit. The plane landed to avoid capture or destruction.


They sent a woman, the plane had to land before she crashed into it

"Little ginger moron" ~David Hasselhoff 

Want to see what Surf is training or how little isk Surf has?  http://eveboard.com/pilot/Surfin%27s_PlunderBunny
Iosue
League of Gentlemen
The Initiative.
#15 - 2012-06-18 18:32:51 UTC
Caleidascope wrote:
Shameless Avenger wrote:

IMHO, this is a Ninja-Looting Drone.

I wish it was true.


Finally!! SALVAGE DRONES. Come'on CCP, you gonna let NASA/USAF one-up you like that??
Unimaginative Guy
Dutch Squad
#16 - 2012-06-26 02:14:39 UTC
Oh hey, an object in orbit around a celestial body that is unmanned.

Sounds like a satellite
Surfin's PlunderBunny
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#17 - 2012-06-26 03:51:36 UTC
Unimaginative Guy wrote:
Oh hey, an object in orbit around a celestial body that is unmanned.

Sounds like a satellite


satellites plummet uncontrollably to earth when they come out of orbit. this one landed itself. That makes it better Big smile

"Little ginger moron" ~David Hasselhoff 

Want to see what Surf is training or how little isk Surf has?  http://eveboard.com/pilot/Surfin%27s_PlunderBunny