DOCUMENTS ATLAS 5 / OTV MISSION BOOK X-37 FACT SHEET HISTORY OF THE X-37 NASA X-37 DEMONSTRATOR FACT SHEET FREE VIDEO ATLAS LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO • WATCH | DOWNLOAD OUR VIDEO OF THE LAUNCH FROM THE KSC PRESS SITE • WATCH | DOWNLOAD ATLAS 5 LIFTS OFF WITH OTV-1 • WATCH | DOWNLOAD ALL-ACCESS MEMBERS VIDEO COMPLETE UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE LAUNCH WEBCAST REPLAY • DOWNLOAD REMOTE CAMERA VIDEO OF LAUNCH (REALPLAYER) • DOWNLOAD ATLAS MISSION PROFILE ANIMATION • DOWNLOAD OTV-1 was launched on an Atlas V 501 rocket, tail number AV-012, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch, which was conducted by United Launch Alliance, successfully occurred at 7:52 p.m. EDT on April 22, 2010, placing the spacecraft into low Earth orbit for testing. The Atlas rocket's launch date was originally set for 19 April 2010. On 9 April, a 24 hour delay was announced due to a technical problem. It subsequently slipped a further 24 hours after the landing of Space Shuttle Discovery on Mission STS-131 was delayed, as the Eastern Range could not have been reconfigured quickly enough to accommodate both events on the same day. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Based on NASA's X-37 design, the unmanned OTV is designed for vertical launch to low Earth orbit altitudes where it can perform long duration space technology experimentation and testing. Upon command from the ground, the OTV autonomously re-enters the atmosphere, descends and lands horizontally on a runway. The X-37B is the first vehicle since NASA's Shuttle Orbiter with the ability to return experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis. The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office is leading the Department of Defense's Orbital Test Vehicle initiative, by direction of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics and the Secretary of the Air Force. The Air Force OTV effort uses extensive contractor and government investments in the X-37 program by the Air Force, NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to continue full-scale development and on-orbit testing of a long-duration, reusable space vehicle. NASA's original X-37 program began in l999 and ran until September 2004 when NASA transferred the program to DARPA. NASA envisioned building two vehicles, an Approach and Landing Test Vehicle, or ALTV, and an Orbital Vehicle. The ALTV validated flight dynamics and extended the flight envelope beyond the low speed/low altitude tests conducted by NASA from 1998 through 2001 on the X-40A, a sub-scale version of the X-37 developed by Air Force Research Labs. DARPA completed the ALTV portion of the X-37 program in September 2006 by successfully executing a series of captive carry and free flight tests. NASA's X-37 Orbital Vehicle was never built: but its design was the starting point for the Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle program. The X-37B program directly supports the Department of Defense's technology risk reduction efforts for new satellite systems. It will provide an "on-orbit laboratory" test environment to prove new technology and components before those technologies are committed to operational satellite programs. "If these technologies on the vehicle prove to be as good as we estimate, it will make our access to space more responsive, perhaps cheaper, and push us in the vector toward being able to react to warfighter needs more quickly," said Mr. Gary Payton, Air Force Deputy Under Secretary for Space Programs. "This launch helps ensure that our warfighters will be provided the capabilities they need in the future," said Col. Andre Lovett, 45th Space Wing vice commander, Launch Decision Authority for the mission. "The 45th Space Wing is proud to launch this historic mission and continue our commitment to assuring access to the high frontier." "As the first U.S. unmanned reentering space vehicle, the first of its kind, it has been remarkably easy to work with," said Lt. Col. Erik Bowman, 45th Launch Support Squadron Commander. "Processing and preparations went extremely smooth, and there were absolutely no delays in the vehicle processing. Overall there was great cooperation between the Air Force and industry teams of Boeing, ULA, and Astrotech, where we processed the spacecraft, to make sure everything went smoothly." The spacecraft was originally intended to be deployed from the payload bay of a Space Shuttle, however following the Columbia accident, it was transferred to a Delta II 7920. It was subsequently transferred to the Atlas V following concerns over the spacecraft's aerodynamic properties during launch. Developed by the United States Air Force, the X-37B OTV is the United States’ newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Objectives of the autonomous, unmanned space test platform include space experimentation, risk reduction, and CONOPS development for long duration and reusable space vehicle technologies. The Boeing Company is the prime contractor for the OTV program and the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office is leading the initiative with continued participation by NASA. Key objectives of the first flight include demonstration and validation of guidance, navigation and control systems to include fault tolerant, autonomous re-entry and landing as well as lightweight high-temperature structures and landing gear. On-orbit tests of the thermal management, power control and distribution, and attitude control subsystems are also planned objectives. OTV-1 will be commanded to de-rbit, re-enter and land at Vandenberg Air Force Base sometime within nine months of launch. The exact date depends on when it completes its on-orbit mission objectives. If the vehicle is unable to land at Vandenberg, Edwards AFB will serve as a backup landing site. The mission was the first-ever launch of an Atlas V with the 501 configuration, requiring no solid rocket motors, and the first launch in some five years to involve a 5-meter class fairing, said Colonel Bowman. "This vehicle is light enough to launch without the solid rocket motors even with the larger fairing, making this a rather unique configuration." The Atlas V booster is 12.5 ft in diameter and 106.5 ft long. Atlas booster propulsion is provided by the RD-180 engine system (a single engine with two thrust chambers). The RD-180 burns RP-1 (Rocket Propellant-1 or highly purified kerosene) and liquid oxygen, and delivers 860,200 lb of thrust at sea level. The Centaur upper stage is 10 ft in diameter and 41.5 ft long. Its propellant tanks are constructed of pressure-stabilized, corrosion resistant stainless steel. Centaur is a liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen- (cryogenic-) fueled vehicle. It uses a single RL10A-4-2 engine producing 22,300 lb of thrust. (The Spacearium / SpaceflightNews.net) 
(Atlas 5 lifts off with OTV-1. Photo Credit: Pat Corkery / ULA)
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