Das geheimnisvolle Raumflugzeug der US Space Force führt einzigartige Manöver durch – Aerobraking genannt. Die Technik ermöglicht es dem streng geheimen Raumschiff, die Umlaufbahn zu ändern, ohne Treibstoff zu verwenden – und einige fragen sich, warum die Agentur uns über diese Neuigkeiten informiert hat
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-secretive-spaceplane-of-the-us-space-force-conducts-first-of-its-kind-maneuvers-180985425/
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From the article
>The newly described aerobraking maneuver allows the X-37B spaceplane to change its orbit by using the Earth’s atmospheric drag—the friction caused by molecules in the atmosphere. Normally, spacecrafts have to fire their thrusters to achieve a shift in orbit, which uses up propellant and thus can only be done a limited number of times, per [*Space.com*](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/space-forces-mysterious-x-37b-begins-aerobraking-to-lower-orbit-heres-how-it-works-video)’s Brett Tingley.
>“When we aerobrake, we utilize atmospheric drag to effectively step down our apogee”—the farthest point from Earth in the orbit—“one pass at a time, until we get to the orbital regime that we want to be in,” John Ealy, a Boeing engineer, says in a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCZVSuW98eM) released by the company. “When we do this, we save enormous amounts of propellant, and that’s really why aerobraking is important.”
>Because of the way it conserves fuel, aerobraking could allow missions to last significantly longer, per [*Newsweek*](https://www.newsweek.com/mysterious-us-military-space-plane-begins-advanced-maneuvers-orbit-1981900)’s Tom Howarth.
I feel like aerobraking has been around a long time. Hiten used it in 1991 around Earth, Magellan used it around Venus in 1993, MGS used it around Mars in 1997, and even used its solar panels as “wings” to control attitude (though things went somewhat wrong and it ended up taking longer than planned).
They are announcing it because it’s likely already been tested and proven.
Now they can demonstrate it without much chance of failure.
In 5 years Russia reveals a craft that mysteriously looks and moves identically.
Probably hearing about it because Elon and the Department of Government Efficiency calls this inefficient and plans on putting SpaceX ships instead.
>some are wondering why the agency has let us in on this news.
Because everyone is watching anyway.
Who is wondering? I mean it’s to demonstrate the tech to near pear enemies. Is anyone confused about that?
I m dumb, I though orbit mean being in space. Way out of any atmosphere. How do you aerobrake a spaceship from GTO to LEO ? Is seem to not be that amazing of a innovation from here
Okay, aerobraking isn’t new. But a shuttle/ship that can effectively and repeatedly do so from multiple selectable positions is. Controlled, reliable, predictable propellant-less flight maneuvers are.
…atleast that’s my understanding, but what do I know.
I’m starting to think that there are no real secrets being kept from us by the government when it comes to military. If you could make gravity defying aircraft why continue to make f15s.
No one is wondering anything. You can see it with a telescope so they warned us in case idiots want to say it’s aliens again. It’s literally kindergarten detective work that.
I came to say P-shaw on this. You can’t change orbits without propellent. Then I read that for some reason (none of my business) it’s in a very elliptical orbit that grazes the atmosphere and need propellant to keep it there. So this will work. If it were in a circular orbit it would need to use propellent to de-orbit to hit the atmosphere.
Every spacecraft that is recovered on earth has used aerobraking to get home. This is just a novel use to only change an orbit.
some are wondering why the agency has let us in on this news:
The US is informing the Vladimir Putin and China now, before they get the information from Trump and Tulsi Gabbard
[ Curious Case of Tulsi Gabbard: Is She a Russian Asset? ](https://www.thebulwark.com/p/tulsi-gabbard-russian-asset-or-dupe)
Did it happen to look something like this? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Wy4MhYx94
Ok, look, I know we’re talking about real life here, but as a Kerbal Space Program player, I had assumed that aerobraking had been standard practice in some way or another, since the Viking missions at least, or even before.
Are you *seriously* telling me that nobody has done this before? Like, we don’t use an aerobraking orbit around Mars to slow the probe down before it tries to land? For *real*? When it’s so obviously the most efficient way to slow down?
A lot is heating up in the atmosphere pertaining to satellite protection and destruction. It could be a warning to other countries.
Aerobraking maneuvers isn’t new.
Every vessel re-entering Earth’s atmosphere uses it. It has been used on craft landing on Mars and Venus since the 90s, this isn’t “newly described” – it’s been used actively for 60+ years.
A common belief among conspiracy nuts is that “THE Government” has an absolute lock on all information, and us poor saps can only take their word for it.
This is false.
And in the case of America’s super-duper-secret spyplane, amateur satellite watchers have been watching this thing since the first day it ever lifted off. They know when it takes off, when it comes back, and what orbit it’s in while it’s up there. They would know all about an orbit-changing maneuver like this, it’s pointless to keep it classified.
Aerobraking isn’t new at all… And didn’t spaceX just use aerobraking successfully on their chopsticks test in a much more impressive demonstration? This title honestly just makes the US Space Force sound antiquated.
This **isn’t** about releasing info to the US public – to let us in on the news – but ‘announcing’ (and reminding) foreign bad-actors of what’s what.
What should be more concerning **for them** is what’s *not* known.
This doesn’t seem like a very new idea, I mean every KSP player has done this as a free slowdown at least once. If anything about this is special it’s that the heat shield is likely much more durable.
Hard no on the term “Spaceplane”.
As an avid 4x and space sim gamer i must insist that we move towards the nautical terms for this.
Corvette, frigate etc.
This is basically like turning your spacecraft into a space sailboat – using the atmosphere instead of propellant. The fuel savings could make deep space missions way more feasible.
It’s not like they can *hide* using this ability. Spacecraft is going to glow like nothing else in low orbit when performing such maneuvers. Could they not tell the populace? Sure. But it’s not like Russia, China, and everybody else with orbital monitoring aren’t going to notice.
Seen that years ago, 2 pilots died on the areo brake deployment due to a poor handle design