MOSCOW, 30 Jul – RIA Novosti. Secret space Shuttle X-37B in the interests of the U.S. air force is scheduled to send into orbit in may by the launch vehicle Atlas-5 with Russian RD-180 engine, said us special website spaceflightnow.com.
According to the website, following the launch of a rocket Atlas-5 is scheduled for may 16 from the spaceport at Cape Canaveral (Florida). As its payload is specified secret military mini-Shuttle X-37B. This will be his sixth flight into space.
Shuttle X-37B developed by the American company Boeing. In 2010, there were five space flight mini-Shuttle in the duration from 225 to 780 days in order to perform on-orbit experiments in the interests of the United States air force. Their details are classified. Recent flight mini-Shuttle back in October 2019, moving into orbit three satellites of unknown purpose.
Earlier, former Minister of the U.S. air force Heather Wilson said that the unusual maneuverability of the X-37B in space, “drive enemies insane”.
the Head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin in October 2018 expressed concern that the X-37B can be used by the us military as a carrier of weapons. According to him, such a device cannot be seen system of missile warning. At the same time, the Russian military reported that keep track of all the maneuvers of the us Shuttle in orbit.
the RD-180 Engine used on the first stage of the rocket Atlas-5. The first engine was delivered in the US in 1999. According to the manufacturer – NPO Energomash (a subsidiary of the Russian space Agency), and USA sent the 116 engines, with 89 completed flights on the Atlas missiles. The rocket is made by United Launch Alliance Alliance formed by Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
the Export of Russian engines in U.S. Rogozin in September 2019 called win-win project and noted that Americans buy RD-180 due to the ratio quality-price.
In mid-April, 2020, the President of the American company United Launch Alliance Tory Bruno said the Russian RD-180 engine technological marvel, although two days before this said that buy it at the insistence of the US authorities to the Russian technology is not leaked to Iran and North Korea.
