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| Science & Technology |
| Space Force launches secretive X-37B space plane back into orbit |
| 2020-05-19 |
| for its sixth flight after mission details were revealed for the first time - and is not expected to return home until 2022 |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #4 Atlas replacement using American made engines to be tested in 2021. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2020-05-19 11:05 |
| #3 RE #1: The Atlas 5 rocket that the X-37 rides in costs over $100 million per launch, is expended and uses Russian main engines. In all, no way a good deal. In the best case orbit, Atlas 5 costs about $2500/pound to LEO. The X-37 flights cost closer to $10,000/lb since it doesn't use the full capability of the Atlas 5. |
| Posted by: Elmath Thuter1871 2020-05-19 10:33 |
| #2 Now it's time to build the X-37C... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2020-05-19 10:02 |
| #1 Boeing noted the The cost to launch a vehicle into space in 2015 was $5,000 to $10,000 per pound. It then began to work on a reusable space plane which would decrease that expense to as little as a few hundred dollars per pound. It looks as though Boeing has succeeded. |
| Posted by: b 2020-05-19 09:56 |