EZO
Flashlight Enthusiast
Very cool photos Lips!
They make me think of the Space Shuttle's "Orbital Maneuvering System", which were a set of smaller engines used for.... well, I don't have to tell you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Orbital_Maneuvering_System
Steve K.
edit:
Looking at the How Stuff Works page on the OMS, it mentions the fuel that is used:
"The OMS engines burn monomethyl hydrazine fuel (CH3NHNH2) and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer (N2O4). "
It also mentions that the OMS is used to slow the craft for re-entry. After each use, the fuel lines are purged to get that stuff out of the lines:
"When the engines shut off, the nitrogen goes from the valves into the fuel lines momentarily to flush the lines of any remaining fuel and oxidizer; this purge of the line prevents any unwanted explosions."
Seems like that might result in some being on the exterior of the craft, which might explain why the ground crew for the X-37B were wearing hazmat suits. .... just a theory...
Every time I see a windowless drone I can't help but think of GIGER'S EYELESS ALIEN. The Globalhawk is a good example of a Gigeresque look.
Given the technology that was available at the the time the SR-71 in my book is an astounding example of what good engineers can come up given solid direction and resources.
More than a few transcripts out there from air traffic controllers monitoring SR-71's that were coming in from their retirement flights and flying faster than their scopes could register over the Western US.
got to touch a SR71 Titanium skin at an air museum, awesome!
My guess re: the X37B is that it's used to retrieve classified materials from spy satellites, among other servicing operations. Sure, the old Hexagon satellites used to drop their film canisters in re-entry modules, but a remote-controlled reusable vehicle can land in precisely the same location each time -- or conveniently explode if something goes wrong.
Yes. I thought the nose photo looked like an anaconda....without any eyes.Funny you should mention a creature. The photo in my previous post #42 of the nose of the craft showing the heat tiles reminded me of the scales of a reptile like in my avatar photo.
The pilots tell good stories:
Peroxide is physically stable, but chemically unstable, and so it makes a convenient, dense, easy-to-use liquid oxidizer for rocket fuel. I believe Russian liquid-fuel rockets run on jet fuel (i.e. purified kerosene) and peroxide. Torpedoes also use it as an oxygen supply for their tiny diesel engines. (or at least they used to, they might be electric now.)What is the hydrogen peroxide tank for?
They have bigger fish to fry. Even if they noticed your post they'd get two sentences in and skip to the next one harvested off the internet without a second thought.Just my thought, if they use this drone to collect & return "Data" there is a lower chance the data can be intercepted ( ie vs radio signals back to earth).
So not only film, but digital data could be collected & returned to earth.
Now that I have typed this, I am sure they going to monitor my computer now.