Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 6060 Location: East London
Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 8:40 pm Post subject: X-37B - US space war 'Space Fighter-bomber' satellite killer
Some of us will have heard about the six times speed of sound US plane; but this one is something else! 25 times the speed of sound, and skipping in and out of space, impossible at present to counter!:
http://www.countercurrents.org/fang280510.htm _________________ 'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.
America and China set up emergency space hotline to prevent 'Star Wars' nightmare scenario
11:41, 23 NOV 2015 UPDATED 12:21, 23 NOV 2015 BY JASPER HAMILL
Rival superpowers launch unprecedented cooperative venture as the risk of terrifying space war grows ever greater
Star Wars: Could the next war be fought in space?
America has set up a hotline with China to make sure an accidental satellite collision doesn't spark a full blown space war.
China is known to have developed weapons capable of destroying spacecraft as they orbit around the planet.
If an American satellite was suddenly wiped out, officials could easily mistake the mishap for an act of war.
The new hotline will allow the rival superpowers to get in touch following a space accident, to avoid the situation escalating.
Frank Rose, US assistant secretary of state, told the Financial Times that it was often difficult to cut quickly through Chinese bureaucracy and reach the right person.
"China is developing a full spectrum of anti-satellite capabilities,” he added.
"We’ve made it clear we don't believe it’s in anyone’s interest to engage in a space arms race."
Any satellite orbiting earth faces a massive risk of destruction, due to the huge amount of orbiting debris.
America is known to have communications satellites in space, but it is rumoured to be planning something much scarier.
X-37B spacecraft: What is this strange craft doing up there in space?
The US recently sent its top-secret X-37B 'space plane' on another mystery mission which is feared to be part of an ominous Star Wars weapons programme.
So far, the space plane has spent a massive 1,367 days - almost four years - in space during three classified missions. _________________ --
'Suppression of truth, human spirit and the holy chord of justice never works long-term. Something the suppressors never get.' David Southwell
http://aangirfan.blogspot.com http://aanirfan.blogspot.com
Martin Van Creveld: Let me quote General Moshe Dayan: "Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother."
Martin Van Creveld: I'll quote Henry Kissinger: "In campaigns like this the antiterror forces lose, because they don't win, and the rebels win by not losing."
By Mark Prigg For Dailymail.com
23:56 05 Aug 2015, updated 04:53 06 Aug 2015
XS-1 spacecraft will be far larger than secretive X-37b test plane
Expected to use engine developed by Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin
Will fly like a normal plane, releasing second stage to launch satellite
Can then return to Earth and fly again within 24 hours
Boeing has been awarded a $6.6m contract to design a cheap, reusable mini shuttle that can launch military satellites.
The small, planelike craft is known as the XS-1 program—short for 'eXperimental Spaceplane 1', and could blast off in 2019 on its first test mission.
It is hoped the craft could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of Russian and Chinese space weapons.
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The small, planelike craft is known as the XS-1. It is hoped the craft could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of Russian and Chinese space weapons. +16
The small, planelike craft is known as the XS-1. It is hoped the craft could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of Russian and Chinese space weapons.
HOW IT WORKS
The reusable first stage launch vehicle will be capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage to launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit.
The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be quickly prepared for the next flight using methods similar to an airline jet.
XS-1 could 'create a new paradigm for more routine, responsive and affordable space operations,' according to DARPA, the military research arm heading the project.
The XS-1 is an airplane-like vehicle that can fly to the edge of Earth's atmosphere and quickly boost small satellites into orbit, and then land, refuel, load up another satellite, and take off again within 24 hours.
'In an era of declining budgets and adversaries' evolving capabilities, quick, affordable, and routine access to space is increasingly critical for both national and economic security,' DARPA said in a press release.
However, it has remained tight lipped about the latest contract.
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'The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, has been awarded a $6,587,447 modification (P00004) to previously awarded HR0011-14-9-0005 (Other Transaction), for the Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program,' the announcement of the deal says.
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'The additional tasks, identified as Phase IB, will continue the development of the XS-1 demonstration concept, substantiating identified core component technologies, mitigating risk, developing a Technology Maturation Plan (TMP), and performing several demonstration tasks.
'The addition of the XS-1 Phase IB tasks brings the total cumulative face value of the agreement from $10,000,000 to $16,587,447.'
Boeing must complete its XS-1 design and test its basic technologies before August 2016.
DARPA wants an XS-1 prototype to perform a realistic trial mission no later than 2019.
After that, the Pentagon could decide to build XS-1s for regular use.
The reusable first stage launch vehicle will be capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage +16
The reusable first stage launch vehicle will be capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage
Following the launch, the craft, which flies itself, simply returns to Earth. +16
Following the launch, the craft, which flies itself, simply returns to Earth.
'Developing a vehicle that launches small payloads more affordably is a priority for future U.S. Defense Department operations,' said Steve Johnston, director of Boeing's Phantom Works Advanced Space Exploration division when the oritinal funding was revealed.
'Boeing brings a combination of proven experience in developing launch systems and reusable space vehicles, along with unparalleled expertise in the development and fielding of highly operable and cost-effective transportation systems.'
The craft can then release its second stage
The craft can then release its second stage
The upper stage can launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit. +16
The upper stage can launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit.
The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be quickly prepared for the next flight using methods similar to an airline jet. +16
The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be quickly prepared for the next flight using methods similar to an airline jet.
NEXT STEPS
Boeing must complete its XS-1 design and test its basic technologies before August 2016.
DARPA wants an XS-1 prototype to perform a realistic trial mission no later than 2019.
After that, the Pentagon could decide to build XS-1s for regular use.
The firm was initially given a $4 million preliminary design contract, to work on a reusable first stage launch vehicle capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage to launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit.
'Our design would allow the autonomous booster to carry the second stage and payload to high altitude and deploy them into space.
'The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be quickly prepared for the next flight by applying operation and maintenance principles similar to modern aircraft.' said Will Hampton, Boeing XS-1 program manager.
The mystery test vehicle — essentially a technology test bed — is designed to orbit the Earth and then land like one of Nasa's old shuttles +16
The mystery test vehicle — essentially a technology test bed — is designed to orbit the Earth and then land like one of Nasa's old shuttles
'Drawing on our other innovative technologies, Boeing intends to provide a concept that uses efficient, streamlined ground infrastructure and improves the turnaround time to relaunch this spacecraft for subsequent missions.'
DARPA wants the new spaceplane to be able to boost a two-ton satellite into space every day for 10 days straight for less than $5 million per flight.
The craft is set to be larger than the X-37B robotic spaceplanes that Boeing built for the Air Force.
Masten Space Systems and Northrop Grumman had also drawn up XS-1 blueprints. DARPA awarded the three firms $4 million apiece to do that preliminary design work.
Boeing also enlisted Washington State-based rocket start-up Blue Origin to help with the XS-1's motor, ans is believed to be planning to use Blue Origin's BE-4 to power the XS-1.
Capable of producing more than half a million pounds of thrust, the BE-4 is amonster of an engine.
Earlier this year the US Air Force's top secret X-37B space plane was been caught on camera by a team of amateur astronomers.
The unmanned plane launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V on May 20 on its fourth mission, but most of the details about its flight remain classified.
The latest image, however, provides new insights into the spacecraft's activities and has fuelled speculation that X-37B may be a spy plane.
The US Air Force's top secret X-37B space plane has been caught on camera by a team of amateur astronomers. South African astronomer Greg Roberts captured this of the space plane in two-second–long exposures just a few weeks after launch +16
The US Air Force's top secret X-37B space plane has been caught on camera by a team of amateur astronomers. South African astronomer Greg Roberts captured this of the space plane in two-second–long exposures just a few weeks after launch
X-37B'S MYSTERY MISSIONS
The U.S. Air Force's unmanned X-37B space plane has flown four secret missions to date.
Each time it has carried a mystery payload on long-duration flights in Earth orbit.
The spacecraft looks similar to Nasa's space shuttle but is much smaller. The X-37B is about 29ft (8.8m) long and 9.5ft (2.9 m) tall.
It has a wingspan of just less than 15ft (4.6 m). At launch, it weighs 11,000lbs (4,990kg).
The craft is taken into orbit on a rocket but lands like the space shuttle by gliding down to Earth.
While it's main mission payload is a mystery, Nasa has revealed it has a materials experiment aboard.
The Planetary Society is tagging along with a solar-sail demo. Ten CubeSat nanosatellites are also taking a piggyback ride into orbit.
'It's in a lower orbit than normal … had us confused for a while, as I thought it would be the standard operating orbit,' tracker Greg Roberts told Space.com.
'The inclination is also lower than before.'
Roberts captured an image of the space plane in two-second–long exposures just a few weeks after launch.
Its inclination of 38 degrees is the lowest of the X-37B program, with the first mission flying at an inclination of 40 degrees.
It also features the lowest initial altitude of the four X-37B launches at 198 miles (318km). The previous low was OTV-2, at 205 miles.
The low-altitude flight profile may be a indication of test for a new propulsion technology.
'One thing that OTV-4 has in common with each of its predecessors is that its ground track nearly repeats after every 31 revolutions, which takes two days,' Toronto-based Ted Molczan told Space.com.
He added that this could be in support of a spy mission, to permit targets to be revisited frequently.
Other theories have for the spaceplane have ranged from it being a space bomber, to a clandestine probe on a mission to 'take out' spy satellites.
The mystery test vehicle — essentially a technology test bed — is designed to orbit the Earth and then land like one of Nasa's old shuttles.
While it's main mission payload is a mystery, Nasa last month revealed it has a materials experiment aboard, while the Planetary Society is tagging along with a solar-sail demo.
An infrared view of the X-37B unmanned spacecraft landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The purpose of the U.S. military's space plane is classified
An infrared view of the X-37B unmanned spacecraft landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The purpose of the U.S. military's space plane is classified
TOP FOUR CONSPIRACY THEORIES
The space plane is a spy plane: The leading theory appears to be that the unmanned space plane is a shuttle-shaped surveillance vehicle.
It could be a space bomber: This is the least likely theory, according tot Seven Aftergood, a secrecy expert at the Federation of American Scientists. He claims the US doesn't need this capability.
It is on a mission is to 'take out' satellites: This activity would be easily traceable, making it unlikely to stay a secret.
The X-37B deploys spy satellites: Instead of destroying them, the theory suggests that the space plane's orbit matches up to where deployed satellites would work best for spying on other countries.
Called LightSail, it uses a propulsion system that uses the pressure of photons from the sun, a technique known as solar sailing.
Nine other CubeSat nanosatellites are also taking a piggyback ride into orbit.
The space plane - one of two of the same design - is operated robotically, without anyone on board, and is reusable.
It is 29ft long — about one-fourth the size of a Nasa shuttle. The longest X-37B flight lasted about 675 days; touchdown was last October.
There's no official word on exactly how long this one will stay up, although report suggest it will return to Earth in mid-to-late 2016.
In an unprecedented disclosure, last month month the Department of Defense did reveal some details about the X-37B's main mission.
'[We] are investigating an experimental propulsion system on the X-37B on Mission 4,' Captain Chris Hoyler, an Air Force spokesman, told Space.com.
'The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office will also host a number of advance materials onboard the X-37B for Nasa to study the durability of various materials in the space environment,' Hoyler added.
He added the vehicle's mission 'cannot be specified' but that it will enhance 'the development of the concept of operations for reusable space vehicles'.
Like a shuttle, X-37B is blasted into orbit by a rocket. However, it lands using a runway like a normal aircraft. The X-37B is too small to carry people onboard, but does have a cargo bay similar to that of a pickup truck, which is just large enough to carry a small satellite +16
Like a shuttle, X-37B is blasted into orbit by a rocket. However, it lands using a runway like a normal aircraft. The X-37B is too small to carry people onboard, but does have a cargo bay similar to that of a pickup truck, which is just large enough to carry a small satellite
Spaceflightnow.com revealed more details of the flight, which is described as a 'hall thruster electric propulsion test.'
It is intended to improve performance of the units onboard Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications spacecraft, officials claim.
AEHF satellites' Hall thrusters are 4.5-kilowatt units that use electricity and xenon to produce thrust for moving satellites in space.
The benefit of using electric propulsion is that its xenon fuel weighs much less than traditional hydrazine.
This technology could help in the development of technologies to control satellites with better accuracy.
However, experts claim that refining an advanced manoeuvring thruster is probably just a small part of the vehicle's true mission set.
One leading secrecy expert previously told DailyMail.com that the drone is 'very likely' be used to test technologies that will increase spying capabilities of the US.
'The US government has a bottomless appetite for sensitive information,' said Steven Aftergood, a secrecy expert at the Federation of American Scientists.
'As powerful as our intelligence satellites may be, they also have their limitations - most notably the limitations imposed by their orbital parameters.
'It's conceivable that a spy plane would introduce new versatility into overhead reconnaissance.'
The X-37B space drone, otherwise known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, is blasted into orbit by a rocket. However, it lands using a runway like a normal aircraft.
The X-program has bounced between several federal agencies, Nasa among them, since 1999. The plane has been in space for a total of 674 days, far more than its two previous flights which lasted 225 and 469 days +16
The X-program has bounced between several federal agencies, Nasa among them, since 1999. The plane has been in space for a total of 674 days, far more than its two previous flights which lasted 225 and 469 days
The X-37B is too small to carry people onboard, but does have a cargo bay similar to that of a pickup truck, which is just large enough to carry a small satellite.
The X-program has bounced between several federal agencies, Nasa among them, since 1999.
The plane has been in space for a total of 674 days, far more than its two previous flights which lasted 225 and 469 days.
The program's first mission launched in April 2010 and landed in December that year.
The second space plane took off on March 2011 and came back to Earth in June 2012.
According to X-37B manufacturer Boeing, the space plane operates in low-earth orbit, between 110 (177km) and 500 miles (800km) above earth.
By comparison, the International Space Station orbits at about 220 miles (350km).
One secrecy expert told DailyMail.com that the drone (artist's impression pictured) is 'likely' to be a spy plane +16
One secrecy expert told DailyMail.com that the drone (artist's impression pictured) is 'likely' to be a spy plane
This December 3, 2010, image by the Vandenberg Air Force Base shows technicians examining the X-37B unmanned spaceplane shortly after landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California +16
This December 3, 2010, image by the Vandenberg Air Force Base shows technicians examining the X-37B unmanned spaceplane shortly after landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
United Launch Alliance's 206ft Atlas V rocket launched the space plane at 11:05 a.m. ET from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral. The X-37B space plane, a experimental program run by the Air Force, is capable of remaining in space for almost two years +16
United Launch Alliance's 206ft Atlas V rocket launched the space plane at 11:05 a.m. ET from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral. The X-37B space plane, a experimental program run by the Air Force, is capable of remaining in space for almost two years _________________ --
'Suppression of truth, human spirit and the holy chord of justice never works long-term. Something the suppressors never get.' David Southwell
http://aangirfan.blogspot.com http://aanirfan.blogspot.com
Martin Van Creveld: Let me quote General Moshe Dayan: "Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother."
Martin Van Creveld: I'll quote Henry Kissinger: "In campaigns like this the antiterror forces lose, because they don't win, and the rebels win by not losing."
Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 2568 Location: One breath from Glory
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 11:39 pm Post subject:
Its the little buggers we need to find out about. solar powered nanodrones capable of delivering lethal or otherwise chemicals or plagues.
Of course its all sci fi imagination
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z78mgfKprdg[/youtube] _________________ JO911B.
"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places " Eph.6 v 12
CNN last night aired a major propaganda piece promoting the US military industrial complex goal of frightening the American people so they will hand over even more $$$$ to pay for this massive space war machine.
As the US routinely does the Pentagon plays 'poor me' claiming that Russia and China are out to get us. They make it sound like the US is under threat and thus we need to pump even more money into our already massively expensive military space program.
The fact is that the US is way out in front of the space warfare arms race. Russia and China have for more than 20 years been annually going to the United Nations pleading with the US to join them in serious negotiations for a new treaty called Prevention of an Arms Race in Space (PAROS). Each year the US blocks treaty negotiations claiming there is 'no problem' and thus no need to create a treaty to prevent war in space.
The US-based aerospace industry (led by Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon) has long known that if the US refused to negotiate the treaty, Russia and China would be forced to respond to the US Space Command's Vision for 2020 that states the Pentagon will 'control and dominate' space and will 'deny' other nations 'access to space'. Thus a new arms race is guaranteed and the profits to be made from such a new round in military conflict would bear unimaginable profits for the aerospace industry.
The history of America is replete with exaggerations of 'enemy' power while the poor old USA is dragging along behind. This strategy was used to over sell the American Indian 'threat' during the late 1800's, over hype the Russian missile capability during the Cold War, and claim that Iraq had 'weapons of mass destruction' before the US 'shock and awe' attack in 2003.
At the end of the CNN propaganda piece Space Command officials make the outrageous claim that the US has no offensive assets in space while 'our adversaries' have weaponized space.
There should be no doubt that the corporate dominated media today is essentially nothing more than the mouth piece for the US military empire. The fact that this puff piece on a major news network interviewed not a single critic of the US's claim to be the 'Master of Space' speaks volumes.
If you are interested in seeing the other side of this issue just click here
Bruce
US military prepares for the next frontier: Space war
Jim Sciutto-Profile-Image
By Jim Sciutto, Chief National Security Correspondent
Updated 1359 GMT (2159 HKT) November 29, 2016
Meet the US military's sentry for space
America's chief adversaries in space are familiar ones: Russia and China
The US has created a massive new Space Command, with some 38,000 employees
Washington (CNN)Since man first explored space, it has been a largely peaceful environment. But now US adversaries are deploying weapons beyond Earth's atmosphere, leading the US military to prepare for the frightening prospect of war in space.
"As humans go out there, there has always been conflict. Conflict in the Wild West as we move in the West ... conflict twice in Europe for its horrible world wars," Gen. John Hyten, head of US Strategic Command, told CNN. "So, every time humans actually physically move into that, there's conflict, and in that case, we'll have to be prepared for that."
Today, the US depends on space more than any other nation.
In a nightmare scenario, as adversaries launch a massive cyber attack on key infrastructure and disable and destroy our satellites in space, televisions would go blank, mobile networks silent, and the Internet would slow and then stop.
What a space war might look like on the ground
What a space war might look like on the ground 01:39
Dependent on time stamps from GPS satellites, everything from stock markets to bank transactions to traffic lights and railroad switches would freeze. Airline pilots would lose contact with the ground, unsure of their position and without weather data to steer around storms.
World leaders couldn't communicate across continents. In the US military, pilots would lose contact with armed drones over the Middle East. Smart bombs would become dumb. Missiles would sit immobile in their silos. The US could lose early warning of nuclear attacks for parts of the Earth.
"There's incentive to take that away from us," said Peter Singer, who advises the Defense Department on space threats and authored "Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War," which runs through a scenario of space war. "And that means if there was conflict on Planet Earth, it would almost inherently start with some kind of conflict in space."
What is a CubeSat?
What is a CubeSat? 01:19
America's chief adversaries in space are familiar ones: Russia and China are extending above the atmosphere the competition and conflict already boiling down here on Earth -- from Syria to Ukraine to the South China Sea to cyberspace.
China and Russia are taking aim at America in space with a dizzying array of weapons seemingly borrowed from science fiction. Russia has deployed what could be multiple kamikaze satellites such as "Kosmos 2499" -- designed to sidle up to American satellites and then, if ordered, disable or destroy them. China has launched the "Shiyan" -- equipped with a grappling arm that could snatch US satellites right out of orbit.
"We would absolutely be shocked if the US military were not on a war footing now based on what we see," said Paul Graziani, CEO of the civilian satellite tracker AGI.
These are not experimental weapons of the future, but weapons of today, already operating from Near Earth Orbit, just 100 miles up and home of the International Space Station, to Medium Earth Orbit at 12,500 miles, where the GPS satellites fly, all the way up to 22,000 miles in Geostationary Orbit, home of the nation's most sensitive military communications and nuclear early-warning satellites.
Hyten warned that adversaries will soon be able to threaten US satellites in every orbital regime.
"We have very good surveillance and intelligence capabilities, so we can see the threats that are being built," said Hyten. "So we're developing capabilities to defend ourselves. It's really that simple."
1970s spy satellite 'better than Google Earth'
Hexagon spy satellite was 'better than Google Earth'
The US Air Force Space Command was created in 1982 when Earth's orbit was less contested, and today has some 38,000 employees, an annual budget of nearly $8.9 billion, and 134 locations around the globe. The broader Pentagon space budget is $22 billion.
Among the units are the 50th Space Wing, a team of more than 8,000 people charged with monitoring US and foreign military satellites. For now, these space warriors are little more than spectators, watching and observing this new space battlefield with no ability to fire back.
In 2015, Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work expressed his grave concern that the military was not "ready to do space operations in a conflict that extends into space."
He was proven right when, months later, US space forces were overwhelmed in a mock attack on US military satellites.
So many took notice when, in April this year, Work vowed that the US would "strike back" if attacked in space -- strike back, he added, and "knock them out."
"From the very beginning, if someone starts going after our space constellation, we're going to go after the capabilities that would prevent them from doing that," Work told CNN. "Let me just say that -- having the capability to shoot the torpedo would be a good thing to have in our quiver."
Work suggested a space equivalent of the depth charges US Navy warships dropped into the sea during World War II, setting off enormous explosions to fight off attack submarines.
"These satellites were built 15 years ago and launched during an era when space was a benign environment. There was no threat," said Lt. Gen. David Buck, Commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Space. "Can you imagine building a refueler aircraft, or a jet for that matter, with no inherent defensive capabilities? So our satellites are at risk, and our ground infrastructure is at risk. And we're working hard to make sure that we can protect and defend them."
US Navy launches new warship
US Navy launches new warship 01:18
So far, such weapons remain in the conceptual category. But the US is quietly developing advanced capabilities that could, some day, have defensive or offensive missions in space.
These include the US Navy's Laser Weapons System, or LAWs, the US military's first operational laser weapon now deployed in the Persian Gulf on board the USS Ponce. The X-37b, a pilotless space drone resembling the space shuttle without windows or a cockpit, has already flown multiple missions to space and has space watchers and US adversaries wondering if it could be used as a weapon.
Still, as Russia and China make rapid advances, some of the most senior military commanders are sounding the alarm that this is a war -- the next world war and the first to extend beyond the confines of Earth -- that America could lose.
"We'd be silly to say it's not a possibility," said Singer. "What any defense (planner) will tell you is, don't look for the ideal outcome, plan for the worst day so that you can survive."
Winning a space war means rethinking how the US wages war, and that rethinking is one our current military leaders and politicians are only just beginning to undertake.
So is the US moving quickly enough to respond to the new threats in space?
"I would say the answer was no," said Gen. William Shelton, former head of Space Command. "Could we provide active defense of our own satellites? The answer's no."
The stakes couldn't be higher. How the US responds to this new threat could determine who wins the defining conflict of the 21st century.
CORRECTION: This story has been corrected by the MILINCOM to more accurately reflect the size, age and budget of the Pentagon's space efforts. _________________ www.lawyerscommitteefor9-11inquiry.org www.rethink911.org www.patriotsquestion911.com www.actorsandartistsfor911truth.org www.mediafor911truth.org www.pilotsfor911truth.org www.mp911truth.org www.ae911truth.org www.rl911truth.org www.stj911.org www.v911t.org www.thisweek.org.uk www.abolishwar.org.uk www.elementary.org.uk www.radio4all.net/index.php/contributor/2149 http://utangente.free.fr/2003/media2003.pdf
"The maintenance of secrets acts like a psychic poison which alienates the possessor from the community" Carl Jung
https://37.220.108.147/members/www.bilderberg.org/phpBB2/
Gotcha! US Air Force's Secretive X-37B Space Plane Spotted by Satellite Tracker
Marco Langbroek captured this long-exposure photo of the Air Force's X-37B space plane streaking through the sky above Leiden, the Netherlands, on Aug. 20, 2018.
Credit: Marco Langbroek
The U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane may be secretive, but it's not invisible.
Netherlands-based satellite tracker Marco Langbroek snapped long-exposure photos of the robotic mini-shuttle zooming over the city of Leiden yesterday (Aug. 20), capturing the spacecraft's rapid trek across the night sky as a thin streak of light.
The Air Force discloses little about X-37B missions, keeping details about the plane's orbit and most of its payloads close to the vest. But Langbroek said he's confident that the light trail he photographed came from the space plane, which is also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV). [The X-37B Space Plane: 6 Surprising Facts]
Another photo by Langbroek of the X-37B's night-sky trek on Aug. 20, 2018. Also visible in this image, just below and perpendicular to the X-37B’s track, is the trail made by the French commercial imaging satellite SPOT 6.
Another photo by Langbroek of the X-37B's night-sky trek on Aug. 20, 2018. Also visible in this image, just below and perpendicular to the X-37B’s track, is the trail made by the French commercial imaging satellite SPOT 6.
Credit: Marco Langbroek
"The object in question is not in the public catalogue of satellite orbits maintained by JSpOC (the U.S. military tracking network), which shows for an object this bright that it must be a 'classified' object," Langbroek told Space.com via email. "We nevertheless know where 'classified' objects like this are, because they are routinely tracked by a small network of amateur trackers, in which I takepart."
The object he photographed last night is in a very low orbit, Langbroek added: between 193 miles and 202 miles (310 to 325 kilometers). (For comparison, the International Space Station's average altitude is about 250 miles, or 400 km.) And the object actively maneuvers from time to time, so it can't be some piece of space junk about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere.
In this photo, also taken by Langbroek on Aug. 20, SPOT 6’s faint track is above and to the left of the bright X-37B trail.
In this photo, also taken by Langbroek on Aug. 20, SPOT 6’s faint track is above and to the left of the bright X-37B trail.
Credit: Marco Langbroek
"Basically, only one type of object fits this: X-37B," Langbroek said. "Previous X-37B missions we tracked also orbited at such very low altitudes. The object also has a similar brightness to previous OTV missions."
And to really seal the deal, when you project this object's orbital plane backward in time, it passes right over Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at around 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) on Sept. 7, 2017 — right when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lofted the X-37B on its current mission, called OTV-5.
The X-37B looks like a miniature version of NASA's now-retired space shuttle orbiter. The Air Force is known to possess two OTVs, both of which were built by Boeing. Each vehicle is 29 feet (8.8 meters) long and 9.6 feet (2.9 m) tall, with a payload bay the size of a pickup truck bed.
As its name suggests, OTV-5 is the fifth X-37B mission. To date, each OTV flight has spent more time in orbit than the last. OTV-1 launched in April 2010 and spent 224 days in space; OTV-2 began in March 2011 and logged 468 days in space; OTV-3 zipped around Earth for nearly 675 days after its December 2012 liftoff, and OTV-4 launched in May 2015 and landed 718 days later, in May 2017.
X-37B OTV 5 on 20 AUG 2018 from Marco Langbroek on Vimeo. (The short movie above was captured using a WATEC 902H CCTV camera equipped with an old Canon FD 1.8/50 mm lens, Langbroek said.)
Air Force officials have said that the X-37B is testing reusable-spaceflight technology and gear for future spacecraft on these missions. Experts have said this explanation makes sense, dismissing claims that the OTV may be a space weapon of some sort.
Oh, and you can spot the X-37B overhead as well, if you know where to look, Langbroek said. The spacecraft is usually quite bright — often bright enough to be naked-eye visible from the middle of Leiden, he added. (For tips on where to look, go to satellite-tracking sites such as Heavens Above or N2YO.)
"During favorable passes, the spacecraft reaches magnitude +1, which is brighter than, for example, the stars of the Big Dipper and similar to the brightness of Saturn or Mars in the sky," Langbroek said. "It is easily visible to the naked eye then, even from the urban town center I observe from."
The United States is capable of attacking Russia from space, a senior Russian general said Wednesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a plan in January calling for the development of space-based sensors to shoot down missiles before they can threaten U.S. soil, among other capabilities. Moscow warned the new U.S. missile defense strategy would unleash a dangerous arms race in space, saying it amounts to a relaunch of the Cold War-era "Star Wars" program.
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“It’s possible that [U.S.] space assets could be used to launch a preemptive strike against Russian and Chinese targets,” senior Russian general Viktor Poznikhir said.
Speaking at a security conference in Moscow, Poznikhir blamed the U.S. missile defense systems for enabling the country to deliver a “surprise missile and nuclear strike on Russia.”
Russia is responding to the perceived threat by arming its strategic offensive forces with the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile and the Avangard hypersonic missile, he was quoted by the state-run TASS news agency as saying.
President Vladimir Putin had said the Avangard would be deployed in 2019 and noted that the Sarmat — known as “Satan-2” in the West — was in the final test phase.
Pentagon officials contend that U.S. missiles defenses are too few to be able to counter a first-strike on the U.S. homeland by a major nuclear power, like Russia or China. Washington hopes those countries will instead be deterred from attacks by America’s nuclear arsenal.
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Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 9:48 am Post subject:
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: US gearing up for ‘star wars’ against China and Russia
https://tass.com/pressreview/1147507
Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, April 21
Washington created a combat group designed to establish control of near-Earth space. US space forces have received weapons that can destroy their opponents’ telecommunications, Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote, adding that the Pentagon sees China and Russia as adversaries here since they can allegedly can spy on the US from space. Therefore, in the event of a conflict, their satellites would have to be neutralized. The Pentagon is focusing on China, which has the second number of satellites in orbit after the United States.
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According to media reports, it is now clear, at least in general terms, what the Pentagon has. Within the US Space Forces, there are 16 units equipped with ground-based devices aimed at enemy satellites. They are designed to block satellites and shut off their communication capabilities, Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote. They will be used to break the enemy’s information transmission so they cannot coordinate any troop movements or actions. The Pentagon intelligence agency justifies the militarization of space by citing threats from China and Russia, the newspaper wrote.
Retired Colonel Viktor Litovkin told Nezavisimaya Gazeta, "Russia has not tested an anti-satellite missile, since there is no need for such a rocket." Moscow’s missile defense was launched for the defense of the Russian capital, he said, noting that tests of such missiles have been going on for several years. According to Litovkin, an attempt to scramble or destroy a satellite is an act of war. Understanding this, Russia and China have repeatedly raised the issue of banning weapons in space, but the US has categorically rejected such an agreement.
Officials in Washington have been increasingly labeling China as the main geopolitical threat to the US. "China is in second place after the United States in terms of satellite constellation. They are also engaged in anti-satellite weapons. There were reports of preparations for cyber attacks on enemy satellites. They are also working on long-range anti-ship missile systems," Vasily Kashin, a leading researcher at the RAS’ Institute of Far Eastern Studies told the newspaper.
Kommersant: India mitigates quarantine, ready to help Russia, US to fight coronavirus
India softened its lockdown on Monday, which had been introduced on March 25 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities say they are in control of the situation and are ready to help their partners, in particular, Russia and the United States. Thus, 100 mln hydroxychloroquine (an anti-malarial drug) pills used to treat coronavirus will soon be sent to Russia, Kommersant wrote. However, it might be too early to talk about the situation in India returning to normal, as the country has recently announced the largest increase in the number of coronavirus cases per day.
Russia’s Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev said "the Indian side reached out to Russia’s request." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also commented favorably on the news. The fact that the Kremlin issued a separate statement is very remarkable in itself. Prior to that, Moscow had not commented on foreign deliveries of drugs to Moscow for the pandemic, Kommersant wrote.
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There was no question before India whether to grant Russia’s request in these difficult times, Indian Ambassador to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma told Kommersant. He noted that pharmaceutical industry remains one of the pillars of Russian-Indian cooperation and moreover, the decision highlights the special friendship between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi.
According to the envoy, the goal of India and Russia is to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the pharmaceutical field and work together to reform international institutions, including the World Health Organization.
Meanwhile, the supply of Indian antimalarial drugs will continue also to the United States. Previous export restrictions were dictated by the desire of the Indian authorities to ensure availability of supplies to meet domestic needs, while Indian diplomats called these measures "temporary." Ambassador Varma assured Kommersant that the batch of drugs that Russia will receive in the coming weeks will be produced from Indian raw materials.
Kommersant: Moscow-St. Petersburg high-speed railway requires $9.9 bln in state funding
The updated financial model of the Moscow-St.Petersburg high-speed railway includes allocating 750 bln rubles ($9.9 bln) in state support, Kommersant wrote citing a source familiar with the main provisions of the financial model. According to the newspaper, the total funding of the project is estimated at 1.7 trillion rubles ($22.5 bln), the financial model is balanced with at least 35% government participation.
The financial model is supposed to attract a capital grant in the amount of 200 bln rubles ($2.65 bln). In addition, discussions are underway on a loan from the National Wealth Fund (NWF) for 380 bln rubles ($5 bln) at a general rate of 5%. However, according to a Kommersant source, the new NWF approach assumes an average rate of 6.6-6.7%, at which the financial model becomes unbalanced. The Ministry of Finance did not tell the newspaper, under what conditions the rate could be reduced. In addition, Russian Railways will provide 192 bln rubles ($2.54 bln) for the venture as part of its investment program, another 200 bln rubles ($2.65 bln) will come from other project shareholders.
The estimated revenue of the project in 2030 will amount to 147 bln rubles ($1.94 bln), and in 2040, to 338 bln rubles ($4.47 bln). The net present value is 686.6 bln rubles ($9.09 bln), with an internal rate of return of 9.4%, and the discounted payback period is 30.8 years.
Earlier, Kommersant wrote that the railway will not be cost-effective at the expense of passengers and suggests state support of around 600 bln rubles ($7.94 bln). According to the newspaper, the project included two sections of the line: St. Petersburg-Moscow and Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod. However, under the current model there is no information about the second section.
Izvestia: ‘COVID-19 epidemic is massive, but Ebola was worse’ - virologist
Despite the fact that the number of cases of COVID-19 in Russia decreased on Monday, April 20, significantly compared to the previous day, it is too early to talk about a breakthrough in the fight against coronavirus, Deputy Director of Pasteur St. Petersburg Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology Alexander Semyonov told Izvestia. He suggested observing the number of infected cases for several days. The virologist also assured that antibody tests will appear in Russia for everyone within a month and a half.
"Measures to contain the epidemic in Russia have been taken, but the number of infected people is such that it’s impossible to calm down. We must strictly follow the rules, so that we do not end up with the Italian scenario," he told the newspaper.
"The COVID-19 epidemic is massive, but Ebola was worse. The current pandemic cannot even be compared to it, because the mortality rate from Ebola fever, especially at the initial stage, was 90%: out of ten cases, nine died. Later, it was possible to reduce it a little, but in any case it is incomparable with the COVID-19 epidemic as far as mortality goes," the expert added.
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Speaking about antibody tests available to everyone in Russia, Semyonov said he believes it will happen the next month and a half. "Antibody tests will be done for the people at risk first: medical workers, seniors, those who have been in contact with patients," he said.
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