US covert orbiting weapons/surveillance system?

[walpurgis]

For some years the Boeing X-37 unmanned compact space shuttle has been making trips into space and orbiting the Earth. It's very hush, hush. Nobody is letting on what these expeditions have been for. The last one just finished and lasted a very long 500 days. What the hell was it doing up there? There is speculation that an advanced surveillance system is being deployed or perhaps orbiting weapons. Will we find out?

This is one of a number of reports from various sources: http://www.airspacemag.com/space/spaceplane-x-37-180957777/

[struth]

I'd think it will be surveillance based. fast reaction hi def pics. cheaper than planes etc and safer, plus quicker than trying to send a big satellite. Being low orbit, the def will be better too.
Thats not to say they wont try something fancy too though lol

[walpurgis]

It could be anything. The X-37 has a fair sized cargo hold, so largish objects could have been carried. Maybe large component parts of something big to yet be assembled up there.

And what could have taken the 500 days of the last mission? Strange stuff.

[Arkless Electronics]

Probably up to no good. I have less trust in USA than in the dodgiest estate agent....

[Macca]

/Might be the mission to Mars? Building the spacecraft in orbit means you can launch from orbit. Which you have to do with a big spacecraft, as in one piece you'd need to strap it to too big a firework to get it out of Earths gravity, and if the launch fails you lose the whole thing in one go, Expensive.

[Ali Tait]

Why keep a mission to Mars secret?

[Spectral Morn]

But its unmanned so how would any cargo me unloaded ? That suggests another manned station other than the ISS, and the Chinese one. Didn't know about the X 37.

There are a lot of theories, some crazy floating around at the minute regarding whats going on in low and high earth orbit. I have no idea and part of me doesn't want to know.

[Joe]

The plan is to make contact with the ancient aliens and ask them to remind us how to build pyramids.

[RichB]

Google 'rod of god' orbiting weapon.

The Internet has that this is was what took that Chinese chemical plant out a year or so ago. It was supposedly the site of an advanced super computer and AI. Believe what you will.

[Joe]

Google 'rod of god'

I know he's just been knighted; I didn't realise he'd been deified too.

[walpurgis]

Google 'rod of god'

Can't be that. I've got it. Or so the girls tell me! :eyebrows: :D