OTV-1
{{short description|Unmanned spaceflight mission; first flight of the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle 1}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = USA-212
| image = Boeing X-37B inside payload fairing before launch.jpg
| image_caption = OTV-1 during encapsulation prior to maiden launch
| mission_type = Demonstration
| operator = Air Force Space Command
| website =
| COSPAR_ID = 2010-015A{{cite web |url=http://www.heavens-above.com/satinfo.aspx?satid=36514 |title=X-37B - Satellite Information |work=Heavens Above |access-date=10 July 2013}}
| SATCAT = 36514
| mission_duration = 224 days, 9 hours, 24 minutes
| spacecraft_type = Boeing X-37B
| manufacturer = Boeing
| dry_mass =
| launch_mass = {{convert|5400|kg|lb|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/x-37.htm |title=X-37B OTV 1, 2, 3 |work=Gunter's Space Page |first=Gunter D. |last=Krebs |access-date=10 July 2013}}
| power = Deployable solar array, batteries
| launch_date = {{Start-date|22 April 2010, 23:52:00|timezone=yes}} UTC{{cite web |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2010-015A |title=OTV 1: Launch information |work=National Space Science Data Center |publisher=NASA |access-date=10 July 2013}}
| launch_rocket = Atlas V 501
| launch_site = SLC-41, Cape Canaveral
| launch_contractor = United Launch Alliance
| landing_date = {{End-date|3 December 2010, 09:16:00|timezone=yes}} UTC
| landing_site = Vandenberg, Runway 12
| orbit_epoch = 29 November 2010, 04:26:19 UTC{{cite web |url=http://www.heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?satid=36514 |title=X-37B - Orbit |work=Heavens Above |date=29 November 2010 |access-date=10 July 2013}}
| orbit_reference = Geocentric
| orbit_regime = Low Earth
| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|279|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|287|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| orbit_inclination = 39.9979°
| orbit_semimajor = {{convert|6598|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| apsis = gee
| instruments =
| insignia =
| insignia_caption =
| insignia_size =
| programme = OTV program
| previous_mission =
| next_mission = OTV-2
}}
USA-212 was the first flight of the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle 1 (X-37B OTV-1), an American robotic vertical-takeoff, horizontal-landing (VTHL) spaceplane.
It was launched aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral on 22 April 2010, and operated in low Earth orbit. Its designation is part of the USA series.
The spaceplane was operated by Air Force Space Command, which has not revealed the specific identity of the spaceship's payload for the mission. The Air Force has stated only that the spacecraft would "demonstrate various experiments and allow satellite sensors, subsystems, components, and associated technology to be transported into space and back."{{cite news |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0420/Air-Force-to-launch-X-37-space-plane-Precursor-to-war-in-orbit |title=Air Force To Launch X-37 Space Plane: Precursor To War in Orbit? |work=The Christian Science Monitor |last=Lubold |first=Gordon |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=23 April 2010}}
Launch
USA-212 was launched on an Atlas V 501 rocket, tail number AV-012, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.{{cite news |url=http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/091022-x37b-testlaunch.html |title=Air Force's Secretive Space Plane Nears Maiden Voyage |work=Space.com |last=Leonard |first=David |date=22 October 2009}}{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av012/100225x37arrival/ |title=Air Force X-37B spaceplane arrives in Florida for launch |work=Spaceflight Now |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=25 February 2010 |access-date=3 March 2010}} The launch, which was conducted by United Launch Alliance, occurred at 23:52 UTC on 22 April 2010, placing the spacecraft into low Earth orbit for testing.{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av012/100422launch/ |title=Atlas rocket delivers Air Force spaceplane to orbit |work=Spaceflight Now |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=22 April 2010 |access-date=23 April 2010}}
The X-37B spacecraft was originally intended to be deployed from the payload bay of a NASA Space Shuttle, but following the Columbia accident, it was transferred to a Delta II 7920. It was subsequently transferred to the Atlas V following concerns over the X-37B's aerodynamic properties during launch.
The launch was the first flight of the Atlas V 501 configuration,{{cite news |url=https://www.af.mil/News/story/id/123201234/ |title=Air Force officials launch Atlas V carrying X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle |work=AF.mil |publisher=U.S. Air Force |access-date=23 April 2010 |date=23 April 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120527033023/http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123201234 |archive-date=27 May 2012 |url-status=live }} and the first in four years to use a {{convert|5.4|m|ft|adj=on|sp=us}} payload fairing.{{cite web |url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt |title=Launch Log |work=Jonathan's Space Page |last=McDowell |first=Jonathan |access-date=23 April 2010}} Prior to the installation of the spacecraft, the Atlas rocket was moved to the launch pad and performed a wet dress rehearsal on 2 April 2010.{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av012/100402x37update/ |title=Air Force spaceplane is an odd bird with a twisted past |work=Spaceflight Now |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=2 April 2010 |access-date=23 April 2010}} It was returned to the Vertical Integration Facility the next day for final assembly. The X-37 arrived at the VIF on 8 April. On 9 April, a 24-hour delay was announced. It subsequently slipped a further 24 hours after the landing of {{OV|103}} on Mission STS-131 was delayed, as the Eastern Range could not have been reconfigured quickly enough to accommodate both events on the same day.{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av012/status.html |title=Mission Status Center (OTV-1) |work=Spaceflight Now |last=Ray |first=Justin |date=23 April 2010 |access-date=23 April 2010}} After a series of delays, it was set for 19 April 2010. On 21 April, the Atlas was rolled back out to the launch pad for launch. The launch window on 22 April opened at 23:52 UTC, and closed at 00:01 on 23 April.
Mission
Most of the mission parameters for the USA-212 flight have not been disclosed. The vehicle is capable of being on-orbit for up to 270 days. The Air Force stated the mission time would depend on progress of the craft's experiments during orbit.{{cite news |url=http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_04_22_2010_p0-222025.xml |title=U.S. Air Force X-37B Launched |work=Aviation Week |first=Irene |last=Klotz |date=24 April 2010 |access-date=11 July 2013 |archive-date=25 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925043241/http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_04_22_2010_p0-222025.xml |url-status=dead }} Mission control was handled by the 3rd Space Experimentation Squadron, 21st Space Wing, of the Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs.{{cite web |url=http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/04/air-force-bloggers-roundtable-air-force-set-to-launch-first-x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle/ |title=Air Force Bloggers Roundtable: Air Force set to launch first X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle |work=DODlive.mil |publisher=U.S. Department of Defense |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=23 April 2010 |archive-date=24 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424060839/http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/04/air-force-bloggers-roundtable-air-force-set-to-launch-first-x-37b-orbital-test-vehicle/ |url-status=dead }}
=Observations by amateur skywatchers=
In May 2010, an amateur astronomer claimed to spot the spacecraft from his home in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/amateur-astronomers-unravel-x37-b-orbit-say-likely-use-for-deploying-spy-satellites/story-e6frfro0-1225870574214 |title=Amateur astronomers unravel X37-B orbit, say likely use for deploying spy satellites |work=News.com.au |date=24 May 2010 |access-date=5 December 2010 |archive-date=27 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527025526/http://www.news.com.au/technology/amateur-astronomers-unravel-x37-b-orbit-say-likely-use-for-deploying-spy-satellites/story-e6frfro0-1225870574214 |url-status=dead }} Shortly after the initial observation, several more detailed observations were made by amateur skywatchers from around the world, who reported the spacecraft to have an almost circular {{convert|401|to|422|km|mi|abbr=on}} low Earth orbit with an inclination of 40°.{{cite news |url=http://www.space.com/news/secret-x-37-b-space-plane-spotted-by-amateur-astronomers-100522.html |title=Secret X-37B spaceplane spotted by amateur skywatchers |work=Space.com |first=Leonard |last=David |date=22 May 2010}} The group believed in their calculations and observations with a high degree of confidence. The spacecraft's ground track was observed to repeat every four days, which was considered indicative for a possible imaging reconnaissance mission profile.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/science/space/23secret.html?pagewanted=all |title=Surveillance Is Suspected as Spacecraft's Main Role |work=The New York Times |first=William J. |last=Broad |author-link=William Broad |date=21 May 2010 |access-date=23 May 2010}}
For two weeks, starting on 29 July, the amateur skywatchers were unable to find the spacecraft in the locations they had predicted, leading them to believe it had suddenly changed its course.{{cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/us-militarys-top-secret-x-37b-shuttle-disappears-for-two-weeks-changes-orbit/story-e6frfro0-1225909738276 |title=US military's top secret X-37B shuttle 'disappears' for two weeks, changes orbit |work=News.com.au |first=Peter |last=Farquhar |date=25 August 2010 |access-date=27 August 2010 |archive-date=28 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828022453/http://www.news.com.au/technology/us-militarys-top-secret-x-37b-shuttle-disappears-for-two-weeks-changes-orbit/story-e6frfro0-1225909738276 |url-status=dead }} During the mission, the vehicle was observed to change its orbit multiple times, with a total delta-v of the first four orbit changes amounting to {{convert|102| m/s|abbr=on}}. A common characteristic of all the orbits was that the ground track nearly repeated every few days. By 12 November 2010, the orbit had been lowered to {{convert|281|by|292|km|mi|abbr=on}} with the ground track now repeating every three days (47 orbits).{{cite web |url=http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Nov-2010/0287.html|title=Updated X-37B OTV 1-1 elements|work=SatObs.org |first=Ted|last=Molczan|access-date=25 November 2010|date=25 November 2010}}
=Altitude and ground track resonance history=
Based on data collected by amateur observers, the following orbital characteristics were calculated by amateur skywatcher Ted Molczan.
Landing
File:OTV1 landing IR 20101203.png
After completing its mission, the X-37B was deorbited, entered the atmosphere, and landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base on 3 December 2010.{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1012/03x37landing/ |title=Home again: U.S. military space plane returns to Earth |work=Spaceflight Now |first=Stephen |last=Clark |date=3 December 2010}}
The X-37B is the second reusable spacecraft to perform an automated landing after returning from orbit, the first being the Soviet Buran spacecraft in 1988.{{cite book |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20050010181 |title=Rockets and People |volume=1 |publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration |series=NASA History Series |first=Boris E. |last=Chertok |editor-first=Asif A. |editor-last=Siddiqi |year=2005 |page=179 |id=SP-2005-4110}}
Hypothetical mission components
As the mission of USA-212 and the X-37B program are classified, public commentary on the program is speculation. James Oberg speculated that the concurrent launch of Air Force's Hypersonic Technology Vehicle HTV-2 was related to the mission. Part of an X-37B's mission profile might involve a simulated enemy attack, which the X-37B should be able to detect and autonomously counteract.{{cite news |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/us-air-force-launches-secret-flying-twinkie |title=U.S. Air Force Launches Secret Flying Twinkie: Military's new space plane tests unnamed powers |work=IEEE Spectrum |first=James |last=Oberg |author-link=James Oberg |date=31 March 2010 |access-date=25 April 2010}} HTV-2 was launched at 23:00 UTC on 22 April 2010, i.e., 52 minutes ahead of X-37B, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California,{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1004/23minotaur/index.html |title=New Minotaur rocket launches on suborbital flight |work=Spaceflight Now |first=Stephen |last=Clark |date=23 April 2010 |access-date=25 April 2010}} on a suborbital trajectory supposed to last less than 25 min.{{cite journal |url=http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/hypersonics.html?story=fullstory |title=Mach 20 or Bust |journal=Air & Space |first=Geoffrey |last=Little |date=1 September 2007}} The mission failed and was aborted nine minutes after launch.{{cite press release |url=http://www.darpa.mil/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147484133 |title=Falcon HTV-2 Launch Tests Hypersonic Vehicle Flight Capabilities |publisher=DARPA |first=Johanna |last=Jones |date=23 April 2010 |access-date=5 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804194505/http://www.darpa.mil/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147484133 |archive-date=4 August 2012 }}{{cite press release |url=http://www.darpa.mil/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147484134 |title=DARPA Concludes Review of Falcon HTV-2 Flight Anomaly |work=DARPA |date=16 November 2010 |access-date=5 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804193948/http://www.darpa.mil/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147484134 |archive-date=4 August 2012 }}
William Scott, coauthor of the techno-novel Counterspace: The Next Hours of World War III and former Rocky Mountain Bureau Chief for Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine believes that with X-37B, the Air Force might test weapon delivery from a space plane in low Earth orbit. He mentions Rods from God as a possible scenario.{{cite news |url=http://www.space.com/8195-air-force-mystery-37b-space-plane-fuels-speculation.html |title=Air Force's Mystery X-37B Space Plane Fuels Speculation |work=Space.com |first=Leonard |last=David |date=12 April 2010}} This hypothesis aligns with speculation that the launch of USA-212 marks the beginning of military operations in space.{{cite AV media |url=http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/tech/2010/04/23/starr.mystery.plane.cnn |title=Mystery military space plane |publisher=CNN|first=Barbara |last=Starr |type=Video |date=23 April 2010}}
See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{X-37B flights}}
{{Orbital launches in 2010}}
Category:Spacecraft launched in 2010
Category:Satellites of the United States Air Force