Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data for: 2007, X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle at Vandenberg Air Force Base en route to

reporter/Weidong Xu

4 19, X-37B will be in Cape Canaveral, Florida Space Center from the “Atlas” rocket launch, is expected to complete its mission, to glide back to earth way of their own. X-37B unworthy of astronauts, space exploration can be independently complete a variety of tasks. At the same time, X-37B demonstrate the advanced performance and military purposes, led to national media attention.

for global strike and reconnaissance

whenever there is new equipment in service, flight, U.S. Air Force is always like “flexed” to demonstrate “world’s first air force,” the muscles. But for the upcoming launch of the X-37B, U.S. Air Force has closely guarded secret. United States, “Christian Science Monitor” that the Air Force so low-key, just do not want the outside world as the X-37B will be throwing bombs fly in space of the “Predator” unmanned aerial vehicles. However, no matter how low-key U.S. Air Force, X-37B advanced technical performance and the “military background”, are very difficult to convince the outside world believe that it is just an ordinary unmanned spacecraft.

X-37B weighs about 5 tons, length 8.8 meters, 2.9 meters high, 4.5 meters long wings, tail layout uses dual tilt, continuous orbit around the earth 270 days. Mercer Courand Inc. analyst Peter Wilson that, X-37B can carry some of the light payload into orbit, perform a variety of military tasks, and then return to Earth. Some analysts speculated, X-37B launch quickly reach anywhere in the world after the goal, “over”, using its own portable ground attack/reconnaissance equipment, precision strike on an enemy or strategic reconnaissance, even as the S-300, “patriotic were “such an advanced anti-aircraft missiles have no way of its. Thus, as an automated reusable spacecraft, X-37B and its follow-up model is entirely possible to become a “track bomber” or “space strategic reconnaissance aircraft.”

space fighter with the potential

Although the X-37B can be used worldwide to combat and reconnaissance, but I believe that this position is for the X-37B remained low. Global fight against the U.S. military already has a variety of means, loading hundreds of “Tomahawk” missiles, nuclear submarines, stealth missile hanging full strategic bombers, intercontinental missiles with conventional warheads and other modifications can meet the needs of U.S. military operations, has no need to spend heavily and then develop a dedicated space bomber. Therefore, X-37B ground attack/reconnaissance capability is likely to be “part-time”, its main operational direction is still space.

As a result of autonomous driving and navigation mode, X-37B can deploy long-term in space. Once the U.S. military will be positioned as a battle space, X-37B can rival the United States satellites, spacecraft and even the space station to start with. As long as the equipment simple robot (the U.S. space shuttle has been equipped with such equipment), X-37B will be able to “enemy” advanced satellite “package” (installed in the warehouse) back to the United States; because regardless of aerodynamic layout, X-37B can load or mount a variety of weapons, equipment, missiles, X-37B became the standard space fighter, to deter other countries spacecraft and space facilities.

to seize the high ground of space

the 21st century, the United States in the aerospace sector faces a “hunger gap” embarrassment, retiring the space shuttle, the new spacecraft also under development. In contrast, China, India, Japan and South Korea have developed their own space program. In the United States, have begun to question the United States was “Space Boss” status can keep, and X-37B to answer everyone’s questions – the United States has not abandoned the dream of space supremacy.

X-37B set a number of advanced technologies in one of its “unmanned space shuttle launch vehicle +” model also represents a higher level. Currently, X-37B is only a technology demonstrator, the next follow-up model will be more mature and more advanced. Thus, whether in the field of space exploration, or military areas, the United States want to play X-37B with a new world, firmly grasp the high ground of space.