Boeing X-37B autonomous space shuttle launched last night, due back 'whenevs'
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 23rd 2010 5:14PM
posted April 23rd 2010 5:14PM
Boeing's X-37B, the test craft that's been kicking around for the last decade or so, has finally made it into orbit. Formerly a NASA project, we've heard little about the thing since it passed into DARPA hands in 2004 -- and statements like those of the Air Force's Gary Payton don't help much: "in all honesty, we don't know when it's coming back for sure." How's that for autonomous? Also uncommented upon, yet tantalizing, are the military's intentions for the unmanned vehicle, which can remain in orbit 270 days at a time. Spy drone? Orbital weapons platform? Plaything for our future robot overlords? (Let's hope it's not the last one.) The success of the mission will depend on a couple things, namely: how the return trip goes (it should make it back to California's Vandenberg Air Force Base via autopilot... sometime) and whether the thing can be re-launched quickly enough. Ideally, the craft should be ready for another flight in fifteen days. Another test is planned for 2011.[Thanks, One Love!]
As a true MW2 fan i have to say that it IS the future Predator Drone.
Hey I'm all for the Air Force taking over space exploration, it may be more secretive but more cool shit will be done a lot sooner
cool
I live in Daytona Beach, Got to see this little thing go up the other night!
Instead of riding on the NASA budget, which has recently been called into question, space endeavors could ride on the defense budget in the future. Better than using the defense budget to fight meaningless wars!
@coolbho3000 : The non-NASA space budget is already larger than the NASA space budget.
This thing is a robot, but it's not even in disguise. Earthlings have been put on notice.
Is it just me or are there a dearth of space craft with the USAF logo on them?
I wonder if this thing can dock with the space station and if it can be used for emergency evac in the event of an emergency there.
Fuck yeah, USAF.
This is why America is the greatest country in the world!
@Mike Vick
*This is why the United States of America (U.S.A) is the greatest country in the world. The Americas are a continent.*
Sorry for the typo guys....
@Mike Vick *This is why the United States of America (U.S.A) is the greatest 3rd world country.*
There we go.
Unmanned? Suuuuuuuuuuuuure. Right.
Isn't this how the zombifying space virus makes it back to earth?
wtf?
Why wasn't I informed about this before?
About the launch, pics and video, "pop ups, color book, just kidding"
http://www.ulalaunch.com
1-1-2029, the stars are shining bright
Nerves connected to the center, we are tied to the machine
Invisible and silent, circling overland
The planemakers designed us to outturn and outmaneuver
Intruders in the skies, intruders in our skies
1-1-2029, tonight the stars are shining bright
Backbone of the fighter force, of the defence industry,
Devoted tools of the power, warrants of the order
1-1-2029 tonight the stars are shining bright
Silicon advisers leading the way
We reach our cruising altitude
1-1-2029, West Europe, midnight
Invisible and silent, circling overland
Scanning, taping, filing, instantly checking
Every human, car and plane of the quarters we survey
CIRCLING OVERLAND
A hacker's dream - how much can you hold that thing for ransom?
Millions of dollars with a mind of it's own... Yeah that sounds like a good idea : /
FU%^. The whole problem with UAV's was the prospect of militarizing them like they have now. Is it ethical and within the rules of war, not to have human to human kills exclusively? There have been ballistic missiles for ages, but they were omitted form this discussion for some reason.
THIS project is perhaps, as DARPA is a war branch, a foray into militarizing space. If you can control space militarily, then you have control over modern day society in many ways, from telephones, to media, to populations and governments.
this guy and BBC documentaries taught me about this stuff:
http://www.chomsky.info/audionvideo.htm
and a little bit about militarized space:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_nuclear_explosion
Hope those military people know what they're doing, and to you that didn't know about this stuff, now you do (unfortunately).
On the NASA budget question. Recently a bunch of smaller telescopes gathered to focus on an area in space may have discovered a similar planet to earth in orbit to it's sun etc. Point is that NASA's budget continued to grow but they didn't see to be progressing like their budget was. We continue to see people doing things at a much lower expense than NASA was doing.
NASA became a bureaucracy and alot of "extra expenses" began to crop up a long time ago.
@omga14
... unlike the US military, which continues to operate as a non-hieracrhical neighborhood co-op.
I don't know why but this reminds me of the Crossbow in the film real Genius .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acgYqbv_R1s
@heng
also the one built by Badger, the little brother in Better Off Dead.
I swear, when the robots become self aware, we won't even be able to flee the planet....
If this was really classified, we wouldn't know about it.
Why does Engadget post about airplanes and prototype weapons systems, and stuff like that? It just seems out of place sandwiched between "IPOD TOUCH BLAH BLAH" and "NEW ANDROID TABLET BLAH BLAH".
what petty technology.
I'm Sorry Dave I Can Not Do That.