

Secretive X-37B spacecraft back on ground after 7 months - timf
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i8NCV9ULR6mX0WKsonlHATbxvcnw?docId=CNG.3023d7fcdeb5553eb95b62891d9d84d2.161

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hugh3
Impressive little craft; much more advanced than anything NASA has at the
moment.

I wonder if there's anything other than politics (the X-37 being an abandoned
NASA project) stopping NASA from calling up Boeing and putting in an order for
half a dozen of these to replace the shuttle fleet.

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dandelany
Well, they're not quite a perfect replacement for the shuttle. Namely, there's
no spot for a person to sit. And no windows.

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hugh3
Based on its size
([http://en.valka.cz/attachments/14253/1275326063_h_x37_mojave...](http://en.valka.cz/attachments/14253/1275326063_h_x37_mojave_02.jpg))
there would have to be enough room inside for a couple of people. Not nearly
the interior space of a shuttle, of course, but it'd have to be better than a
Gemini capsule. As for windows? Meh, luxury!

I have to admit, though, it's smaller than I thought it was when I wrote my
original comment. I had this confused with another one of NASA's experimental
spaceplanes.

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MiguelHudnandez
Humans take up more than the physical space required by their bodies. All the
life support systems end up being considerably larger (and more importantly,
heavier) than just the meat payload.

