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235:, in 2001 to reduce risk for the X-37 program, including in-flight evaluation of guidance, navigation and control software for its autonomous flight controls. One test flight the craft was towed by an Army
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in August 1998 the vehicle was transferred to NASA, which modified it. Between April 4 and May 19, 2001, the vehicle successfully conducted seven free flights. In 2001 it successfully demonstrated the
151:
reusable spaceplane, but lacking in propulsion or thermal protection systems. Boeing built the X-40A originally for the Air Force as part of that service’s Space
Maneuver Vehicle program.
2016:
224:
successfully deployed, and the vehicle tracked to within 7 feet (2.1 m) of the centerline and stopped at a distance of slightly more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m).
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on August 11, 1998 at 06:59. It was released from an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) away from the end of Runway 04 by a
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helicopter to an altitude of 15,000 feet, and then released to fly an autonomously controlled 75-second descent to a landing on the main runway at
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135:. It sought to test the X-37's systems in order to "reduce the cost and risk of future reusable space launch vehicle system."
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capabilities of the X-37's fat-bodied, short-winged design and validated the proposed
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352:. Military Space Programs. Federation of American Scientists. Archived from
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350:"Military Spaceplane X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle Integrated Tech Testbed"
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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The X-40A flew seven approach and landing test flights at NASA’s
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1998:
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X-40 Space
Maneuver Vehicle Integrated Tech Testbed at FAS.org
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Boeing X-40A - National Museum of the United States Air Force
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220:'s, flared, and landed left of the runway centerline. Its
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507:Boeing X-37 / X-40 page at Designation-Systems.Net
405:Boeing X-37 / X-40 page at Designation-Systems.Net
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381:National Museum of the United States Air Force™
257:National Museum of the United States Air Force
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229:Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center
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147:X-40A was a 80%-90% subscale version of the
2102:Military space program of the United States
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243:, where it then glided and guided itself.
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189:The first X-40A drop test occurred at
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208:helicopter). The vehicle dove to the
33:Boeing X-40A on a descent glide slope
2092:1990s United States military gliders
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1824:(AFRL) spacecraft and air vehicles
425:Gelzer, Christian (2 March 2016).
125:Boeing X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle
14:
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427:"X-40A Space Maneuvering Vehicle"
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478:NASA Dryden X-40A Image Gallery
131:reusable spaceplane, built by
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1822:Air Force Research Laboratory
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328:List of experimental aircraft
293:2,600 lb (1,179 kg)
164:Air Force Research Laboratory
84:Air Force Research Laboratory
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127:is a test platform for the
10:
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2027:Tactical Satellite Program
1887:University Nanosat Program
1777:Assigned to multiple types
460:: CS1 maint: postscript (
204:(later tests used an Army
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154:The aircraft was built at
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255:X-40A on display at the
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1277:Supersonic/special test
1140:Experimental/prototypes
982:Patrol and surveillance
287:12 ft (3.7 m)
281:22 ft (6.7 m)
272:General characteristics
1869:Space Maneuver Vehicle
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247:Specifications (X-40A)
241:Edwards Air Force Base
160:Seal Beach, California
1265:experimental aircraft
1263:USAF / Joint Service
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1861:Orbital Test Vehicle
156:Boeing Phantom Works
133:Boeing Phantom Works
66:Boeing Phantom Works
310:Related development
233:Edwards, California
39:General information
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483:2013-11-21 at the
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16:Test space vehicle
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