Black ops and the Shuttle

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Winston

Lorenzo von Matterhorn
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Messages
9,560
Reaction score
1,748
Black ops and the shuttle (part 1)

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/3172/1

Note the bit on the (never accomplished) HEXAGON servicing missions. This adds some credence to my speculation about one of the potential uses for the X-37B or later reusable spacecraft - on-orbit servicing and refueling, the former via telepresence and the latter possibly automatic, of multi-billion dollar spysats. However, considering the apparent lifespan of current spysats (that reach orbit) it could be that they need to be replaced by new spysats with more advanced technology instead of being refueled although modular design might make significant upgrades possible without replacing the entire spysat.

I clued in Tyler Rogoway on the likelihood that a facility at Vandenberg is perhaps being prepped for X-37B prep and recovery for the very high inclination orbits which would be required for most LEO recon of foreign spysats, servicing, or refueling our spysats missions, testing of components for high inclination spysat missions, or quick reaction surface recon missions. He thought it was being prepared solely for stealth drone use:

Exclusive: Uniquely Configured RQ-170 Stealth Spy Drone Appears At Vandenberg AFB
by Tyler Rogoway

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo... stealth-spy-drone-appears-at- vandenberg-afb

"To the southwest, the old Orbiter Processing Facility that was built to support the failed military Space Shuttle program and its co-located SLC-6 launch complex is connected to the runway via a long taxiway. It is unknown what this facility is used for today, but it appears to feature high security and is still active, judging from satellite photos."

I pointed this out to him:

Perhaps they are planning to launch and recover the X-37B to and from polar orbits and will use the Orbiter Processing Facility at Vandenberg for that? One of the useful function's I'd suspect the X-37B or future craft like it would be telepresence refueling of spysats in polar orbit, sats which change their orbits to facilitate the observation of high priority ground targets. Also, telepresence repair of billion dollar plus satellites designed for such could be possible and the inspection (or worse) of the spysats of adversaries. Current launches from KSC can handle non-polar and geostationary sats.

Boeing to Use Former Space Shuttle Hangar for Secret Space Plane
January 6, 2014

https://www.space.com/24168-secret-x37b-space-plane-boeing-hangar.html

"A former NASA space shuttle hangar will serve as the new home and servicing facility for a fleet of secretive military space planes. "The Boeing Company announced on Friday (Jan. 3) it will begin converting Orbiter Processing Facility-1 (OPF-1) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to support the U.S. Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV). Built by Boeing's Phantom Works, the winged X-37B space plane resembles in some ways a smaller version of NASA's shuttle with a 15-foot (4.5 m.) wingspan.


Black ops and the shuttle (part 2): Reconnaissance missions in the space shuttle, from WASP to ZEUS

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/3302/1

Black ops and the shuttle (part 3-1): Recovering spent HEXAGON reconnaissance satellites with the space shuttle

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/3390/1

Black ops and the shuttle (part 3-2): The HEXAGON ghost haunting the desert storm

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/3394/1
 
...my speculation about one of the potential uses for the X-37B or later reusable spacecraft - on-orbit servicing and refueling, the former via telepresence and the latter possibly automatic, of multi-billion dollar spysats.

Effective Space signs deal with satellite company to use drones to lengthen life of satellites in orbit
25 Jan 2018

https://phys.org/news/2018-01-effective-space-satellite-company-drones.html

Representatives for Effective Space, a U.K. based space technology company, have announced to the press that a deal has been struck between their company and a well-known satellite operator to provide satellite support in orbit. The support, in this case, will involve placing two drones on a rocket, sending them into space and then using them to rescue two satellites that are about to run out of fuel.

Long-term satellites have a limited amount of fuel to power the course-correction jets that keep the satellites positioned correctly. But such satellites, which generally hover in a geosynchronous orbit, typically carry only enough fuel to last for 15 years. After that, the satellites roam free as space junk. Space scientists have for years called on countries that launch satellites to find a way to extend the life of satellites, or at least change their trajectories toward Earth, to burn up on reentry—this is because there is only so much space available for satellites to orbit. Noting that it is getting pretty crowded up there, the group that formed Effective Space is gambling that the time is right for a company that makes and operates drones able to both rejuvenate aging satellites or drag them to their graves.

The representatives for Effective Space told the press that they will launch two drones into space in 2020, both of which will attach to satellites that are about to run out of fuel. Once attached, the drones will take over positioning duties for several years. If the satellites malfunction for other reasons, the drones will steer them into a self-destruct spiral and then redeploy to service other satellites—each drone has a life of 15 years. Each of the drones, the reps reported, have the mechanical wherewithal to attach to a satellite in the same fashion as was used to stabilize the satellite while it was boosted into space by a rocket.

The agreement between Effective Space and the undisclosed satellite operator is believed to be one of the first of its kind, though most in the field expect competition to heat up if the company is successful in extending the life of satellites.
 
I was told in the shuttle crew was wearing space suits at launch it was a DoD mission. If if coveralls a civilian mission.

M
 
Back
Top