Star Wars 2010? U.S. military launch space plane on maiden voyage... but its mission is top secret

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ ^ | April 23, 2010 | Biggirl

[Biggirl]

A top secret space plane developed by the US military has blasted off from Cape Canaveral on its maiden voyage. Billed as a small shuttle, the unmanned X-37B heralds the next generation of space exploration. It will be the first craft to carry out an autonomous re-entry in the history of the US programme. But its mission - and its cost - remain shrouded in secrecy. The Air Force said the launch was a success but would give no further details.

[Redleg Duke]

Kitties, puppies and minorities hurt worst!

[A.A. Cunningham]

Mail Online

[tlb]

>>> Well, THANK both Matt Drudge and the UK Mail for getting the word OUT

You actually think a shuttle-clone sitting on a launch pad would escape the notice of the various spy satellites that keep tabs on US rocket sites ? If the Russians, Chinese, British, French, and Israelis know of it, Americans may as well be told.

The prior model space plane avoided such publicity by being cached in a hanger at Groom Lake, being taken out for launch on a large conventional aircraft instead of a rocket. Only after the program was canceled did the technical journals discuss the Blackstar.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/030606p1.xml

[A.A. Cunningham]

What does that really mean?

Main Entry: au·ton·o·mous
Pronunciation: \ȯ-ˈtä-nə-məs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Greek autonomos independent, from aut- + nomos law — more at nimble
Date: 1800
1 : of, relating to, or marked by autonomy
2 a : having the right or power of self-government b : undertaken or carried on without outside control : self-contained (an autonomous school system)
3 a : existing or capable of existing independently (an autonomous zooid) b : responding, reacting, or developing independently of the whole (an autonomous growth)
4 : controlled by the autonomic nervous system

synonyms see free
— au·ton·o·mous·ly adverb

[weeweed]

Thank you Kent.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Operation Red Herring (bluff the Mullahs and keep them guessing in order to try and buy a few more months to try and get UN sanctions).

At least that would be in keeping with the Obama M.O.

[darth]

The wings give it a lot of cross range capability, and I suspect it can pull LOTS of Gs more than a human could handle. That makes it valuable for recon and dropping ordnance.

This means we could drop a penetrating bomb on some tyrant’s bunker moving at about 6000 meters/sec (nice penetration). This bird could hit any spot on Earth in about 30 minutes. The bad guys would have to live in a motor home (oops, we could put active guidance in the ordnance) so the motor home won’t work.

I first saw a prototype 23 years ago.

[GonzoGOP]

This means we could drop a penetrating bomb on some tyrant’s bunker moving at about 6000 meters/sec (nice penetration).

The thought of tungsten jacketed depleted uranium rods from the gods landing on the homes of the Mullahs brings a smile to my face. Then realizing that the Kenyan usurper in the White House would never use them makes the smile go away.

[neverdem]

BTTT