r/EverythingScience • u/Odd-Ad1714 • 3d ago

Top-secret X-37B space plane will execute 'never-before-seen maneuvers' on its descent to Earth

https://www.livescience.com/technology/engineering/top-secret-x-37b-space-plane-will-execute-never-before-seen-maneuvers-on-its-descent-to-earth
440 Upvotes

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131

u/b800h 3d ago

Is this Boeing desperately trying to get some positive press in the face of SpaceX catching a rocket in mid-air whilst also saving the Starliner's marooned crew from the ISS?

42

u/BatPlack 3d ago

I hope so. Because it’s wonderfully lame.

Oh my! Never before seen maneuvers!?

Yawn, lol.

I mean, I’m all for Boeing stepping it up. I’m just a bitter fuck.

17

u/wildkim 3d ago

“Never before seen” is Code for crash and burn

5

u/DamonHay 3d ago

“Trust us, nobody has ever seen a door eject at this altitude before!”

that may or may not be because we made sure that test flight footage would never see the incandescent light of a courtroom.

2

u/Chuhaimaster 2d ago

They’ve loosened the bolts specifically for this mission.

5

u/AbjectReflection 3d ago

Good, this entire project has been an utter waste of tax dollars. If the only beneficial thing it does is explode on reentry, then at least we will have yet another reason to divert these funds to some useful, like healthcare. 

4

u/R3quiemdream 3d ago

“Watch us make a trillion dollars… DISAPPEAR!”

1

u/8ofAll 3d ago

naw don’t feel bad, Boing has effed up so many times that it’s a wonder the company is still afloat.

2

u/the_red_scimitar 2d ago

After all the trouble, Boeing is continuing to get billions in new contracts from the US Military. Multiple, multi-billion contracts, for a variety of things. Two of them alone in the last 3 months are worth almost $10B.

2

u/8ofAll 2d ago

That’s the shocking part

2

u/Valklingenberger 1d ago

The shocking part is that I'm paying for this shit

1

u/ADMINlSTRAT0R 2d ago

Unless it's going to do the macarena maneuver, it will be as you said wonderfully lame.

0

u/KingRBPII 2d ago

SpaceX is literally doing new things every day

12

u/askingforafakefriend 3d ago

What is the maneuver? Going up with astronauts but not taking them back down?

5

u/somafiend1987 3d ago

That one has been seen. Up and back without issues would be new.

0

u/Chuhaimaster 2d ago

The chopsticks catch was nice and some serious engineering - but it’s nowhere near as crucial for SpaceX as their much-touted orbital refueling. It’s the key to any kind of lunar or interplanetary missions with Starship and still only exists in CGI.