Smaller, Quicker, Secret, Robotic: Inside America’s New Space Force, Wired “From huge, slow and expensive to tiny, speedy and cheaper, Atlantis’ and the X-37s brief proximity last summer represented a passing-of-the-torch for the world’s leading space power. The era of big space missions is fading. “Small” is the new watch-word for America’s orbital force. But as the X-37 and a host of other new spacecraft demonstrate, small doesn’t mean less […]

Secretive US X-37B Space Plane Could Evolve to Carry Astronauts, Space.com “The maker of the X-37B robotic space plane has outlined new plans for the spacecraft and a scaled-up version to support space station cargo deliveries or even carry astronauts into orbit. The Boeing X-37B robotic space plane — also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle or OTV — is being operated by the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, […]

Atlas V X-37B OTV-2 Cape launch set for March 4 “The 45th Space Wing is set to launch an Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle from Space Launch Complex 41 on March 4, 2011. The rocket will carry an Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV). The launch window for this Air Force mission opens at 3:39 p.m. EST.” Previous stories