OTV-1 (X-37B) (USA 212)

Mission

OTV-1 (X-37B) (USA 212)

Type: Government/Top Secret

It is the first flight of Boeing X-37B, a United States Air Force Orbital Test Vehicle, which is an unmanned 5000 kg, 8.8 m-long reusable mini-spaceplane capable of autonomous re-entry and landing. The OTV-1 mission was designed to test new technologies, however the specific identity of the spaceship's payload was not revealed. OTV was the first vehicle since NASA's shuttle orbiter capable of returning experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis. The mission concluded after 224 days in orbit, marking the first American autonomous orbital runway landing.

Location

Space Launch Complex 41

Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

209 launches have been at this location.

Rocket

Atlas V 501

Length: 58.3 meters
Diameter: 3.8 meters
First Launched: April 22, 2010

Atlas V with 5m Fairing, 0 SRB, 1 Centaur upper stage engine.

The Atlas V 501 rocket has been launched a total of 7 times with 7 successful and 0 failed launches.

Agency

United Launch Alliance

Type: Commercial
Abbreviation: ULA
Administration: CEO: Tory Bruno
Founded: 2006
Launchers: Atlas | Delta IV | Vulcan
Spacecraft: CST-100 Starliner
Country: USA

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. ULA launches from both coasts of the US. They launch their Atlas V vehicle from LC-41 in Cape Canaveral and LC-3E at Vandeberg. Their Delta IV launches from LC-37 at Cape Canaveral and LC-6 at Vandenberg.