On April 22, 2010 one of the first space weapons ever to be deployed, launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The X-37 was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Phantom Works at Boeing, a significant aerospace player working in creating space weapon systems.
The X-37 is an unmanned US Military Space Plane, similar appearance to a small Space Shuttle. Experts claim it to be a space bomber created by the military as a quick strike weapon to be used when US Forces or Aircraft Carriers are too far a distance from the target. The Space Plane is able to locate and bomb a target within two hours, a fraction of the time it would take a B-52 from bases in America or Europe.
This space weapon is part of a highly secretive US military program known as the “X” series. The military has kept this program greatly classified, investigators have yet to even determine the number of planes within the series. One of the most secretive yet well-known is the spy-plane Aurora, a manned aircraft experts argue to be hypersonic due to its secrecy and to have cost the pentagon billions of dollars to develop.
As with past US government officials, Obama’s administration continues to keep future plans for space planes and weapons a complete secret. Critics claim Obama needs to be watched closely as he will say one thing then do another. The X-37 launch further shows the lack of action from Obama in reversing the militarization of space and with the total secrecy, his administration could be seen as enablers to the problem.
Title: US Space Weapon Now Circling the Globe
Source: Toward Freedom, 27 May 2010
Author: John Lasker
HYPERLINK Â http://www.towardfreedom.com/home/special-reports/1980-us-space-weapon-now-circling-the-globe
Student Researcher: Craig Cekala, Sonoma State University
Professional Evaluator: Glenn Cekala, IPT Leader, Boeing. 10 December 2010