#Spaceplane

[lonestarflight]

thoughts on the X-37b?

love your blog btw!

Considering it's the only operational spaceplane at the moment, I think it's awesome! It is the only space plane design of the late 1990s and early 2000s to have survived (albeit being transferred from NASA to DoD) to this day.

But as to what it is actually doing in orbit for the DoD, it's hard to tell since it's mission is highly classified. It was designed by NASA to repair satellites in orbit and some have speculated about it might spy on other nations' satellites (possibly sabotage them) or deliver weapons to orbit.

But it's hard to know for sure since it doesn't operate at the same orbit as other satellites nor has it been observed by amateur astronomers tracking it.

I haven't done much speculation on it since I don't have enough info. But if I had to, I'd say it is some kind of spy sat that doubles as a test platform for different kinds of equipment and tech. The space shuttle did similar things and had launched a sat for testing the effects on materials and tech in the 80s and 90s. But I also wondered if it was used to give the USAF experience with a spaceplane since there was a program to build a reusable SSTO spaceplane (which was later cancelled).

Anyways, that's all for now. Thanks for the ask!

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star-Raker Spaceplane Concept Art by Rockwell Collins

[kavaeric]

Experimenting with a new rendering/painting process and 3D sketch modelling. Decided to have a crack at a Light Era spacecraft design as I felt confident enough in my hard surfacing ability.

[ Weasyl / FurAffinity ]

[nocternalrandomness]

Towing Atlantis at Edwards AFB

[whirligig-girl]

remember how Eaurp Guz is like, a rocket scientist and a model rocket builder and stuff? I keep forgetting that because of all the trains.

Derwent Coloursoft colored pencils, mechanical pencil, and a white pen, on cool grey cardstock.

Because i couldn't really see the pencil sketch that well I don't think this one is that good technically, but the rendering on Guz's goo is real nice!

[pencilbrony]

The 5 main spaceship categories

really squeeze em in there

[nika-the-hunter]

Spaceshiptember 2024 Day 22: Starliner

This one was the last one I was able to get done after work and getting sick got in the way. It was modeled originally for the Winged prompt, but I felt it fit Starliner better. Fun fact, this is set just a few hundred meters away from 2022s Freighters prompt.

[blueiscoool]

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch the USSF-52 Mission to Orbit

The U.S. military's secretive X-37B robot spaceplane blasted off from Florida on Thursday night on its seventh mission, the first launched atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket capable of delivering it to a higher orbit than ever before.

The Falcon Heavy, composed of three liquid-fueled rocket cores strapped together, roared off its launch pad from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in a spectacular liftoff carried live on a SpaceX webcast.

[1969aerospace]

[lonestarflight]

"Sierra Nevada Corporation's (SNC) Dream Chaser spacecraft shown on the runway at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center on May 20 preparing for a tow-test. The spacecraft is undergoing ground tests leading up to a free flight test later this year."

Date: May 20, 2017

NASA ID: AFRC2017-0124-015

[alphamecha-mkii]

Crosa TSTO Spaceplane by Matija Tomšić

[spacenutspod]

Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E58 In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes you on an exhilarating journey through the latest advancements and discoveries in the cosmos. From classified space missions to lunar eclipses, this episode is packed with stories that highlight the ever-evolving landscape of space exploration. Highlights: - X37B Spaceplane's Latest Mission: Discover the impressive achievements of the US Space Force's X37B spaceplane, which recently completed a 434-day mission. We discuss its innovative aerobraking maneuver and the significance of its experiments in space domain awareness. - International Space Station Crew Rotation: Get the latest updates on Expedition 72 as NASA astronauts prepare for a crew transition aboard the ISS. Learn about the ongoing research into human adaptation to microgravity and the exciting activities taking place in this unique orbital laboratory. - Intuitive Machines' Lunar Mission Conclusion: We cover the dramatic end of Intuitive Machines' Nova Sea lander mission, which, despite landing on its side, managed to return valuable data. Explore the implications of this mission for future lunar exploration efforts. - NASA's Search for Artemis Mascot: Join us as we explore NASA's call for designers to create a zero gravity indicator for the Artemis 2 mission. This initiative connects creativity with space exploration, offering a unique opportunity for the global community. Details here: https://www.freelancer.com/contest/Moon-Mascot-NASA-Artemis-II-ZGI-Design-Challenge-2527909/details - Upcoming Total Lunar Eclipse: Mark your calendars for March 14 as we prepare for the first total lunar eclipse of 2025. We'll provide essential viewing information and discuss the significance of this celestial event. - Discovery of a Supermassive Black Hole: In a groundbreaking revelation, scientists have found evidence of a supermassive black hole in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Learn about the implications of this discovery and how it reshapes our understanding of our galactic neighborhood. For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe. 00:00 - Welcome back to Astronomy Daily 01:05 - X37B spaceplane mission update 07:30 - ISS crew rotation news 12:15 - Intuitive Machines' lunar mission update 18:00 - NASA's Artemis mascot design contest 22:30 - Upcoming total lunar eclipse details 27:00 - Discovery of a supermassive black hole 32:00 - Conclusion and upcoming content ✍️ Episode References X37B Spaceplane Information [US Space Force](https://www.spaceforce.mil/) International Space Station Updates [NASA ISS](https://www.nasa.gov/iss) Intuitive Machines Mission Overview [Intuitive Machines](https://www.intuitivemachines.com/) NASA's Artemis Campaign [NASA Artemis](https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/) Lunar Eclipse Viewing Information [NASA Eclipse](https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/) Supermassive Black Hole Research [ESA Gaia](https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Gaia) Astronomy Daily [Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)

[outer-space-youtube]

Reusable Space Plane? 

I’m not sharing this video because Elon Musk says the first unmanned Starships are going to Mars in two years. ‘How ridicules, not because of how unlikely his timelines are, but we just start testing the Nuclear Engines we will need to get to Mars in two years.’  The video tells us about the reusable Chinese Space Plane and mentions the U.S. X-37B. The X-37B is a secretive, reusable, unmanned…

[europeanspaceflight]

POLARIS Spaceplanes has received the airframe structures for its MIRA II and MIRA III demonstrators. The demonstrators will replace the decommissioned MIRA demonstrator, which was damaged during takeoff as the company prepared for its first rocket-powered flight

[talkoftitusville]

Titusville Company Receives SBIR Grant To Continue Developing Mutirole Spaceplane

Rendering of two Blackstar OTV (Orbital Transport Vehicles) in space.graphic via Blackstar Orbital Technologies Corporation Blackstar Orbital Technologies, a Titusville based company has received a federal grant to “[study] the tactical applications and economic impacts of its proprietary high performance smallsat class spaceplane platform.” The grant comes in the form of an SBIR Award (Small…