Will there still be an orbital X-37?

[vt_hokie]

Prior to the Columbia disaster, I believe there were plans to fly an orbital version of the X-37 aboard the space shuttle. I'm guessing that won't happen now, but are they still working on an orbital version of the vehicle? Given that Boeing hired Scaled Composites to perform drop tests with the "White Knight", obviously the program must still be alive. Is the Air Force funding it? <br /><br />Also, why not kill two birds with one stone, and design a crew transport version to act as the "CEV"?

 

[scottb50]

You could use a sounding rocket to put a test article at an altitude that would demonstrate re-entry capabilities. If the X-37 has any problems they are probably at lower altitudes, not in re-entry.<br /><br />The drop tests Rutan is doing are to refine the upper weight, or size of the X-37 design that can make a reasonable approach to landing on a runway. <br /><br />Even stuck on top of an SRB the X-37 makes a lot more sense than a capsule design, the cross range capability gives you a lot more options. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[frodo1008]

I have no doubt that even if NASA goes for a capsule design that Boeing is looking to the Air Force to continue to fund the X-37. It was the military that wanted the Shuttle to have the large cross wind landing capability that it has, and NASA went along to have the militaries support to develope the shuttle. Also, I would imagine that Boeing is also looking to have the X-37 carried by the Delta IV, or even rival LM's Atlas V. <br /><br />Note, that I personally think that Boeing and LM are eventually going to merge at least their entire space business in the same kind of arrangement as their Space Alliance cooperative effort for NASA. After all, with the general shrinking of the entire space business sector, and the emerging competition of foriegn space programs, this would just make good business sense.<br />Something like USA Space Enterprizes to compete with the Russians, Arienspace (ESA), the Japanese, and even the Chinese space programs. I don't see the military as having a problem with this as it eliminates duplications of effort. Oh, and now there is t-Space and Spacex for the more traditional companies to have to compete with. And I am sure that both Boeing and LM are taking that challenge very seriously!<br /><br />At any rate I think that either the Delta IV or/and the Atlas V Heavies (and further developments of upgrades of both those rocket systems) will be used by the military at least for launching the X-37 spaceplane into orbit for the Air Force, if no one else! Personally, I like the X-37 better for NASA as well, but I think they are going to once again go "Cheap" as their budget will once again be competing with some kind of war funding, just like Viet Nahm and the STS System! Oh well....