American mini spacecraft to attack from space?

The secretive US X-37B spacecraft program is making experts and scientists constantly speculate about the true purpose of the US military.

A mere space travel or the beginning of a new era of intelligence?

The X-37B spacecraft was launched into the third space on 12/12/2012. The US Air Force announced that the X-37B was developed to "test the technologies of a reliable, re-usable and unmanned aerial spacecraft." As with the two previous launches in 2010 and 2011, the media could not 'catch' anything about the X-37B spacecraft development and testing program. The simple reason: this project is classified as 'top secret'!

According to Space.com, the X-37B unmanned airship program was initiated by NASA in 1999 and is currently run by the US Air Force's High Speed ​​Office. It can fly in the universe for several months continuously, as the flight in 2010 was 224 days and in 2011 it was 469 days. However, it is not possible to predict how much time the X-37B will operate in orbit at this third launch. It is only known that: 'The test is still in progress. The actual time depends on the purpose of testing, performance and landing conditions' like the Huffington Post newspaper on 22-2, leading Air Force Major Eric Badger, X-37B spokesman, details revealed more than two months after the X-37B was launched.

Intelligence activities?

Due to the secret of the program officially called USA-240, better known as OTV-3 (3 orbit test ship), the media and experts are constantly speculating about the item. The true destination of X-37B. Many hypotheses, such as the X-37B, are intended to interfere with the operation of satellites in the universe, or these are weapons that can attack from a distance, or have intelligence functions. There was a time when X-37B was launched for the third time - randomly or intentionally - coinciding with the time when North Korea launched a third missile test.

X-37B spacecraft simulation graphics when operating in space - (Photo: EPA)

Spaceflight - Britain's leading space science magazine - recognizes that the X-37B spacecraft can be used to monitor China's Thien Cung 1 space station. This hypothesis is based on the flight trajectory of X-37B.'Mutual monitoring from the universe is a new and completely feasible approach with extremely sensitive sensors . I think the X-37B can be used to closely monitor a young space station. Chinese youth, 'said Dr. David Baker, editor of Spaceflight. He said: 'During the Cold War, the increase in surveillance systems from the universe has helped us achieve military agreements that would never have been possible without knowing the other party. doing'.

However, former US Air Force analyst Brian Weeden said that if the United States really wants to monitor Thien Cung 1, there are other more effective tools than X-37B. ' The range of X-37B is lower, meaning it is only observed in narrow latitudes, and the most feasible region is the Middle East and Afghanistan,' Mr Weeden told the BBC.

Some satellite observers say that the X-37B sometimes changes its trajectory. Explaining this, Professor Joan Johnson - Freese (US Naval War College) told BBC: 'A test purpose of the US Air Force is the maneuverability of the spacecraft. Satellite orbit is easy to guess, so it is easily taken down by anti-satellite weapons. ' According to her, the US military has long been interested in developing 'avoidance, mobility and unpredictability' capabilities for a spacecraft.

Attack from space

In June 2012, after the X-37B completed its second flight and returned to Earth, Xinhua said the ship 'could be a precursor to a capable orbit-based weapon. drop bombs or disable enemy satellites when it orbits the Earth '.

Referring to the third X-37B launch event, People's Daily Newspaper, in an analysis published in late January 2013, identified the trend of world military technology development this year will focus on weapons ability to not attack from space.

According to the report, if the United States wants to maintain its current military power, it must implement a strategy to reduce dependence on nuclear weapons and develop conventional weapons capable of attacking from space. The universe is also an important area for US military to carry out future air strikes. If America detects a dangerous target, it can attack immediately before it is launched into space or destroyed in the universe.'Falcon supersonic aircraft and X-37B represent the trend of future US space technology development,' said the People's Daily.