US reusable space vehicle makes its fourth launch today

[robkelk]

If all goes well, of course.

http://www.space.com/29423-x37b-space-p ... -otv4.html

Yes, there is still one reusable vehicle in service in the USA. It's unmanned, and military...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Black Aeronaut]

Ah yes, this thing. The thing that the USAF has total control over and no one knows what it does or why. Although from what I see of the article, they're being awfully open about what they're doing. Given that the payload bay isn't much bigger than the cargo bed of my truck, they can't take that many experiments aloft.

Although what it does with its own in-built equipment is up for debate. Thus far, these machines have proven that they can remain aloft - reliably, even - for close to two years at a time, maybe longer. It is both impressive and intimidating at the same time. I can only imagine what the People's Republic of China thinks of it behind closed doors.