Posted on 04/21/2018 9:39:32 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The craft's latest mystery mission, known as OTV-5 (short for Orbital Test Vehicle-5), began on Sept. 7, 2017, when the robotic spacecraft launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.
The Air Force doesn't reveal much about OTV missions, keeping most details about the space plane's operations and orbit secret. And satellite trackers have had trouble finding the X-37B on its latest jaunt — until recently.
Exactly what the X-37B did during those four missions, or what it will do during the newly launched OTV-5, is a mystery; most X-37B payloads and activities are classified. This secrecy has spawned some speculation that the vehicle may be a space weapon of some sort. But the Air Force has vigorously denied this idea, stressing that the space plane is just testing technologies for future spacecraft and hauling experiments to orbit.
One such OTV-5 experiment that has been divulged is the Air Force Research Laboratory Advanced Structurally Embedded Thermal Spreader payload, which will "test experimental electronics and oscillating heat pipe technologies in the long-duration space environment," according to an Air Force statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
That NORK satellite would have been a prime subject for inspection.
You mean wiping boogers on Soviet lenses?
Like maybe a 10 gigawatt LASER to burn out sensors?
Or even a NAIL weapon?
Ya, heat pipes. Right....
I tend to think that it is mapping the earth much more closely than current satellites can. It’s the only thing that makes sense of what they are doing.
It one picture, if you look real close near the top-center, you can see two long streaks. I'm pretty sure the upper-most streak is the ISS tracing a path during this 25 second exposure. If you look close you can see a total of 4 streaks that are probably all either the ISS or other satellites.
I recall the President said that he had a button, too. And his button actually worked. Speaking of Kim’s brag about being able to launch nukes. I think POTUS called his bluff as the NORK SAT had already been disabled. I’ve always suspected it was a Trojan horse WX Sat and really a mini nuke EMP weapon used for the threat to blackmail.
SS1
Nice!
This is a beautiful photograph; thank you for sharing it with us. What kind of camera did you use?
Great photo!
Thanks
Rods from God.
“This is a beautiful photograph; thank you for sharing it with us. What kind of camera did you use?”
Great photo for sure. The Dark Sky program is pretty cool. Texas Parks and Wildlife has designated some parks as such. And, Big Bend NP is one as well. I’ve been camping at the parks a few times when amateur astronomers were holding events and they usually set up a scope so other campers can view whatever celestial event is occurring. As a result, thinking about investing in a scope too.
“Rods from God.”
How cool would that be! Mini earthquakes just kinda happening here and there. Other than the impact, would there even be much signature on the way down?
Well, those "pipes" are going to get hot when they are used....
WOW
Thank you. The camera was. Canon 6D with a 14mm lens set at f2.8. Camera was on a sturdy tripod.
Hauling Thor hammers up one by one.
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