X-37B space plane launching on Falcon Heavy Dec. 7th

[bguy_1986]

This mission will be carrying the US Space Force X-37B vehicle. Among the payloads is NASA's Seeds-2 mission, which seeks to investigate the long-term effects of radiation on plant seeds.

Date: December 7th, 2023 (NSF is saying NET Dec 8th.)

Pad: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center

Boosters

- B1084 (center core, expended)

- B1064 (side)

° B1065 (side)

Booster recovery: LZ-1 & LZ-2

 

SpaceX launching Space Force's X-37B space plane on a Falcon Heavy rocket Dec. 7 | Space

It's interesting this isn't on top of a Falcon 9 like it was the other times.

[DocM]

In the procurement they specified a geostationary transfer orbit, much higher than previous X-37B launches. There has been talk of Space Force extending their reach into cislunar space to extend situational awareness. Possibly with the Dream Chaser 300, a vehicle being designed for National high Security missions.

[DocM]

Falcon Heavy: X-37b

 Date: December 10

Time: 2014 Eastern

NBC News....

Quote

The secretive X-37B space plane is headed back into orbit with a boost from SpaceX

It will ride on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy booster, allowing the vehicle to operate in “new orbital regimes,” Space Force officials said in a statement.

 

[DocM]

[AnotherITguy]

Doc, Weren't they supposed to do a longer version of this that was human rated?

[DocM]

On 10/12/2023 at 09:50, AnotherITguy said:

Doc, Weren't they supposed to do a longer version of this that was human rated?

The standard fairing is 5.2 X 13.1 m. They are doing a longer extended fairing, primarily for military payloads like spy satellites or big sections of NASA's lunar Gateway space station, which will be 18.6 m long. No plans to fly crew on Falcon Heavy, although it is possible. As they say, never say never. There was at one time a proposal to fly NASA's Orion spaceship on it, but that was decided against mainly for political reasons.

Ask for the future of launching Falcon Heavy, they will be building that capability into pad SLC 6 at Vandenberg Space Force base in California. SpaceX is taking over the pad formerly assigned to Delta 4 Heavy which is being retired.

The pad is also known as Slick 6

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by DocM

[Jim K Global Moderator]

On 10/12/2023 at 08:50, AnotherITguy said:

Doc, Weren't they supposed to do a longer version of this that was human rated?

X-37?  I think a human rated variant only existed as an idea in the hopes that NASA would invest.  Don't think it has been really mentioned in 10 years or so....and of course Boeing is working on the CST (still) so I wouldn't count on a X-37 human rated version being developed.

[DocM]

On 10/12/2023 at 11:08, Jim K said:

X-37?  I think a human rated variant only existed as an idea in the hopes that NASA would invest.  Don't think it has been really mentioned in 10 years or so....

2018 to 2019 as a hedge against Space Launch System slippage. Administrator Jim Bridenstein made the call under a great deal of pressure from the 'SLS Mafia'.

On 10/12/2023 at 11:08, Jim K said:

and of course Boeing is working on the CST (still)

Oh, the ongoing soap opera that is Starliner development. They've spent the last year rewrapping the wiring harness because it had been wrapped in tape which had a flammable adhesive. The crewed test flight is supposed to fly this summer, but I wouldn't place any large bets on it. 

On 10/12/2023 at 11:08, Jim K said:

so I wouldn't count on a X-37 human rated version being developed.

More likely X-37b is replaced by Dream Chaser 300, a national security variant underdevelopment. Dream Chaser 100 is the cargo version preparing for flight in 2024 (it's now undergoing vacuum tests at NASA's Plum Brook), and DC 200 is the crew version. DC 200 and 300 will be built on a new airframe. 

DC 200

Edited December 10, 2023 by DocM

[DocM]

24-hour delay for the Falcon Heavy launch, weather, 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

On 10/12/2023 at 11:04, DocM said:

2018 to 2019 as a hedge against Space Launch System slippage. Administrator Jim Bridenstein made the call under a great deal of pressure from the 'SLS Mafia'.

Oh, the ongoing soap opera that is Starliner development. They've spent the last year rewrapping the wiring harness because it had been wrapped in tape which had a flammable adhesive. The crewed test flight is supposed to fly this summer, but I wouldn't place any large bets on it. 

More likely X-37b is replaced by Dream Chaser 300, a national security variant underdevelopment. Dream Chaser 100 is the cargo version preparing for flight in 2024 (it's now undergoing vacuum tests at NASA's Plum Brook), and DC 200 is the crew version. DC 200 and 300 will be built on a new airframe. 

DC 200

 

Not entirely sure why you responded to me?  Anyway, I think it should be clarified that Dream Chaser isn't a Boeing project ... instead it's Sierra Space.

[DocM]

On 10/12/2023 at 15:28, Jim K said:

Not entirely sure why you responded to me?  Anyway, I think it should be clarified that Dream Chaser isn't a Boeing project ... instead it's Sierra Space.

 

Your Falcon Heavy + Orion timetable was off, and X-37b is a Boeing product. DC 300 would be its replacement.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

On 10/12/2023 at 14:57, DocM said:

 

Your Falcon Heavy + Orion timetable was off, and X-37b is a Boeing product. DC 300 would be its replacement.

What are you even talking about?   My post was just about a human rated X-37 (which I'm assuming AnotherITGuy was inquiring about). 

Also, I didn't say anything about Falcon Heavy + Orion, No 💩 X-37B is a Boeing project...Dream Chaser isn't. 
 

[DocM]

On 10/12/2023 at 16:14, Jim K said:

What are you even talking about?   My post was just about a human rated X-37 (which I'm assuming AnotherITGuy was inquiring about). 

 

I was talking about a longer version of Falcon Heavy,...

 

On 10/12/2023 at 16:14, Jim K said:

Also, I didn't say anything about Falcon Heavy + Orion,

 

(continuing FH)....which had been talked about as human rated for the Orion project. 

 

On 10/12/2023 at 16:14, Jim K said:

No 💩 X-37B is a Boeing project...Dream Chaser isn't. 

Both X-37h and Starliner are  Boeing projects, and both are up for replacement by Dream Chaser variants. 

These are big picture things; the Starliner project being in deep trouble, and X-37b being long in the tooth - it's not optimal for cislunar missions which the Air and Space forces are making a priority.

This mission will stretch X-37b out to GEO,  but it's surviving a return from cisunar far is less certain.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

On 10/12/2023 at 16:05, DocM said:

I was talking about a longer version of Falcon Heavy,...

I wasn't nor did I reply to your post about it. 🙄

 

Quote

(continuing FH)....which had been talked about as human rated for the Orion project. 

I didn't post anything about that.

 

Quote

Both X-37h and Starliner are  Boeing projects, and both are up for replacement by Dream Chaser variants. 

There isn't a X-37h.  And to clarify, again, Dream Chaser isn't a Boeing project.
 

Quote

These are big picture things; the Starliner project being in deep trouble, and X-37b being long in the tooth - it's not optimal for cislunar missions which the Air and Space forces are making a priority.

This mission will stretch X-37b out to GEO,  but it's surviving a return from cisunar far is less certain.

cool.

 

[DocM]

On 10/12/2023 at 17:13, Jim K said:

. 🙄

There isn't a X-37h.  

Typo, h is  over b on qwerty 

[DocM]

Scrubbed because of a ground support equipment problem, FH and X-37b healthy.

Targeting December 12, 2014 Eastern