Launch of moon-exploring LRO delayed by military spaceplane

William Atkins
Monday, 18 August 2008 19:06

Science - Space

The counterpart to this launch-date switch is the Air Force’s X-37B. It is an experimental, unmanned, prototype space drone that will be developed eventually into a reusable robotic spaceplane.

In its operational state, the X-37B will be able to transport small payloads to and from Earth orbit.

It is about 25% the length and width of a NASA space shuttle, and weighs about 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms) at launch.

The prime contractor for the X-37B is The Boeing Company, through its Phantom Works division. Developed from NASA’s X-37A design, the December 2008 spacecraft is officially designated the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV).

The X-37-B OTV will be launched from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station by an Atlas V rocket. It will be inserted into low-Earth orbit for several days of testing. Then, it will be de-orbited for a landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base (prime) or Edwards Air Force Base (backup), both in California.

Additional information on the X-37B comes from the SpaceflightNow.com article “Unmanned vehicle to test reusable capabilities in space,” which helped to announce the Air Force project in November 2006.

The new February 2009 launch window for the $491 million LRO mission will begin on February 27, 2009.

More information about LRO is found at the Goddard Space Flight Center website.