SpaceX launches U.S. troops space craft on tip mission

SpaceX is set to launch a U.S. Air Force’s reusable robotic space craft today.

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), built by Boeing, is an unmanned booster that has spent adult to 700 days orbiting a Earth on prior missions.

This is it’s fifth mission, though a initial aboard a SpaceX rocket.

The launch of a Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for 9:50 a.m. ET from Kennedy Space Centre, though could be behind until 2:55 p.m. if necessary. It will be streamed live online.

So far, there is no indication the proceed of Hurricane Irma will impact a launch schedule.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center is expected to emanate a whirly watch for tools of southern Florida and a Florida Keys after Thursday morning.

Static glow exam complete—targeting Falcon 9 launch of OTV-5 from Pad 39A during @NASAKennedy on Thursday, Sep 7.

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@SpaceX

As usual, a initial theatre of a Falcon 9 rocket will try to land, this time during SpaceX’s alighting section during a space hire rather than on a barge.

The U.S. Air Force has supposing few sum about this or prior missions, observant usually that the orbiters “perform risk reduction, investigation and concept-of-operations growth for reusable space car technologies.” The cost of a module is also classified.

The X-37B initial flew in Apr 2010 and returned after 8 months. A second goal launched in Mar 2011 and lasted 15 months, while a third took moody in Dec 2012 and returned after 22 months. The fourth launched in May 2015 and landed this past May after roughly dual years in orbit.

Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/x-37b-otv-space-plane-spacex-1.4278556?cmp=rss