US military launches secret space vehicle

[Brogan]

First I've heard of this.

A prototype spaceplane developed for the US military has been launched into orbit from Florida.

The X-37B, which has been likened to a scaled-down space shuttle, blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 0052 BST (1952 EDT).

The military vehicle is unpiloted and will carry out the first autonomous re-entry and landing in the history of the US space programme.

There's talk of experiments and stuff but as it's military I suppose its primary purpose will be as a weapon.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8601172.stm

Footage of the lift off here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8639539.stm

 

[fat jez]

There's talk of experiments and stuff but as it's military I suppose its primary purpose will be as a weapon.

More likely it's to do with spy satellite stuff, as I believe they intend to loft it from Vandenberg AFB in California into a polar orbit in the future (as was originally going to happen with the Shuttle, before Challenger).