@@archstanton6102 It's a reference to one of Simon's other channels, Business Blaze, where he just goes off the rails and the editor adds in a lot of "vintage memes"
What I love with projects like this one (highly classified), is that some people who are watching vids like this, know exactly what's going on. They would think "Ha, if you only knew" to "Wow, they're point on".
@@DouglasLippi from someone who worked on it, they told me it is a failure and remains classified to avoid embarassment. Apparently it doesn't do what it was intended to, or perhaps it does but is really shitty. The "guy" wrked for Lockheed Martin, contributed to the Hubble, and had projects with phantom works. He was my former scout master. Ran in to him the other wee after having not seen him in a decade, sold him a bicycle rack and chatted about sciencew stuff
@@JakeVonDoom He's pulling your leg. 🙂 If he really did work on it, he'd know the spacecraft itself isn't classified. Weird but true! It was built for NASA, not the Air Force. NASA just eventually had to drop it during a round of belt-tightening, and the USAF decided it looked useful. Ask your friend: if it was a failure, why would they spend millions to launch it again and again?
3:45 Oh, yeah, the old NTO-UDMH mixture, always fun that stuff. (Di)Nitrogen Tetroxide is (almost) just what it sounds like - Two Nitrogen bound to each other and each bound to two oxygens. This is an _incredibly_ powerful oxidizer with loads of chemical potential and treacherously dancing on the very edge of stability. Unsymmetric Dimethyl Hydrazine is a form of Hydrazine (a very similar molecule to NTO, but with Hydrogens instead of Oxygens and far more stable) but with both Hydrogens that accompany one of the Nitrogens replaced with Methyl (like Methane, CH4) groups. This great imbalance in atomic mass makes the comparatively-tame Hydrazine way less stable and carry way more energy and violently react on contact with a wide host of chemicals. This readily-reactive nature is what is meant by Hypergolic - This will react and combust upon contact with no need for an external ignition source. Naturally, if you mix both NTO and UDMH, both hypergolic and unpleasant on their own, the resulting combustion is very rapid and reliable. It's useful for spacecraft because you just need a little of each to start the reaction going without having to worry about complex igniter systems, allowing for easy re-ignition of engines or thrusters that use these propellants.
I 100% believe it's capable of intercepting imagery from, eavesdropping on and possibly electronic warfare on enemy satellites! I can't think of any better idea and if the "Space Force" or DOD, NRO and Geospatial Intelligence Agency or NSA hasn't thought of that yet, well they are stupid. I highly doubt those individuals are stupid, so they obviously thought of the possibilities of such a vehicle equipped with similar technology we already implement in electronic warfare planes, SIGINT, ELINT and whatever else that is deployed on earth, on satellites, etc., and put it int the X-37B!
US space technology is a joke. The Chinese are already eating our lunch and light years ahead of US space tech. They have already stolen the plans for the X37 and they have nothing to worry about.
@@patdohrety2940 not really, China is still years behind the US and more importantly Russia. If anything challenges the US in space, it's the might and tech of Russia, as they're leading in several fields of propulsion and rocket science. This is also the sort of tech they don't share with partners like for example India or China, as Russia clearly wants to keep that edge. As of know, the US and Russia still are the only big players. With countries like China, South Korea, Japan, India and the EU playing catch up.
My grandfather worked on the X-37b before he retired in 2015. I talked to him about his time working on it and apparently, even he has no idea what it's doing up there.
That is how secret projects are kept secret. They assign work to people in tiny bits. Enough to get the work done, but not enough to know what it is about. A small and easy to understand example: I ask you to make a spool of thread. You make the spool of thread but you have no idea what I am going to use it for. I ask someone else to make panels of cloth. They make the cloth but have no idea what it is used for. I ask someone to make some foam. They make the foam but have no idea what it is used for. I ask someone to make some springs. They have no idea what I am going to use them for. I then receive all of the things that were made and assemble... a chair cushion. And while a chair cushion is nothing worth mentioning, the process by which I made it in this example is exactly what your grandfather did. He made a single piece of a larger puzzle.
@@danielduncan6806 Yeah, I just thought it was a bit strange since he was the head of choosing materials for it, so it would seem logical that he would know what it's doing.
@@bonesmalone5802 Maybe he'll be forced to kill you once he told you the truth.. But seriously, @Daniel Duncan's explanation seems far more plausible than mine. Compartmentalization in developement appears to be more a rule than an exception with secret projects like this.
Probably worked as a spy satellite, since the biggest downfall of spy satellites is that people can predict their orbit. Since the x37 was known to change the shape of its orbit pretty significantly, it can do things that most spy satellites can't. It's a big plane with tons of room though so it's easy to do a bunch of other things at the same time to maintain your cover
While I won't rule out the X-37B being able to later deploy some sort of attack capability, I'd be extremely surprised if it didn't have some sort of preprogrammed routines for evasive manoeuvrers to escape being attacked by an adversary of some sort. This is because it's an Air Force asset and they'd want to make it hard to destroy, regardless of what it is or isn't doing up there.
To be fair I'm here mainly for Simon's charisma, such a funny lad and I like learning a thing or two that I didn't know about the subject of the video :)
This is one of my top 5 favorite channels. No ranking of the 5. They are equally excellent and interesting. As long as you are rolling out new videos I'll be watching. 👍👍
Space X based their work on the DC-X built by McDonnell Douglas in the ‘90s. Elon Musk even said, “Just continuing the great work of the DC-X project!” JAXA also had the RVT-9, which was incredibly stable. You can watch of video of that takeoff and landing here on UA-cam. It’s a 16-year old video too! The Russians worked on one or are working on one. Chrysler, of all companies was commissioned by NASA to build a RVT or reusable vehicle in the late ‘60s. It was called SERV, (Single-stage Earth-orbital Reusable Vehicle), which was going to be part of the Space Shuttle program, but I believe President Nixon cut the program. Blue Origin’s New Shepard is based of the Chrysler design. Lots of good history when it comes to RVs.
You can tell looking at it that it is one of those space planes that says “oops sorry” every time it farts by looking at its butt. It’s ashamed of it’s thruster. “Wooops sorry, I had a big lunch, so embarrassing 😳 “
sadly, the reason not much is known about it is because it's a pretty shitty spacecraft. From someone who worked for lockheed martin and had been contracted for work with phantom works disclosed to me that the x-37 remains classified to avoid embarassment about it's abilities while chuckling
Since it's almost impossible to overestimate the value of spying on everyone else (which is what our country is good at), that's probably 99% of what it was doing in space.
8:38 I think that may have been written by the same people who wrote something that we all had to remember back in the cold war: "We were on a training mission to the North Atlantic for the purpose of demonstrating the ship's ability to operate unsupported for an extended period of time." That may not be exact, it was 30 years ago and I could not find an actual quote. It was the "unclassified word" that we were to use in the event of capture. So if it helps, yes; whatever we were doing was very boring.
Imagine being an engineer who helped design components on the X37. And imagine that engineer stumbling upon this video and recognizing a couple of those components he designed. And then imagine that engineer hearing Simon Whistler say, "and that's all we know about it", but HE knows a HELL of lot more. Imagine that. 😁
You'd be kind of disappointed -- when the X-37B was designed, it wasn't classified. It was a fully unclassified NASA project. And then it got cancelled. Weird but true: X-37 itself is not classified. What it carries in its payload bay, and what else might be riding up on its payload adapter, well, now that's a different story.
Great video as always Simon. I remember a few years ago that the Air Force requested funds from congress to design and build an X-37C, which would have been a scaled up version of this vehicle. It would have been man-rated for a crew of six people. However, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology rejected the budget request, saying that it was unnecessary for the Air Force to have a manned space vehicle. The committee said the Air Force “failed to show any justification, purpose, or advantage of having a manned version of the X-37 vehicle”. I think the Congress is shortsighted.
@Marc K RE: "I remember a few years ago that the Air Force requested funds from Congress to design and build an X-37C, which would have been a scaled-up version of this vehicle." Would you happen to recall the date, or at least the year? I want to find out who were the specific congress-critters who voted against the X-37C. RE: "I think the Congress is shortsighted." Well, what else can you expect from a bunch of politicians, most of whom are lawyers?
Hi there, Simon. A suggestion for a video(or short series) for Megaprojects. Since you(and us) are so much into aviation, how about doing something on the early history of aviation? Without the experimentation, and sacrifices, of the early pioneers, we wouldn't have such great aircraft today. From the early balloonists, gliders and powered flyers of the day, there's a lot to be talked about. ;)
@Alex Rossouw The X-37B is NOT a space plane. Since it is unmanned, it is merely a space DRONE. I wish people would get that straight. But then, NASA has been full of hype ever since its inception.
I was at Edward's on 7 April 2006 and watched it run off the end of the runway.The chase plane was a Beechcraft Starship, another unusual and rare aircrafts
@calliarcale I don't think so, from what I've read that aircraft was launched from a helicopter. The incident I witnessed had the aircraft launched from Burt Rutans White Knight, the same aircraft that launched spaceship one. The chase plane was a beechcraft starship which was pretty cool to see itself
I like how you were impressed about the speed ..... that's just the speed that ANY spacecraft in low earth orbit is going and needs to cope with upon re-entry. When Starship does it - a 50m long craft - THAT will be amazing and much more mind-blowing!!!!
Also as a Space Nerd, maybe Simon should look to Scott Manley for Super Project ideas. Hypergolics are a common discussion theme. Extremely hazardous to humans, hence the hazmat suits in the pictures used in your own video ;)
@@danielladwein2570 Biographics, Geographics, TIFO, TopTenz, Mega Projects, Side Projects, BB, CC, XPLRD, he used to do VisualPolitik, but doesn't anymore, what am I missing? Oh yeah Highlight History...so that's 10, 11 if you count VP.
@@QBCPerdition yeah 10 (TIFO, BIOG, GEOG, MEGAP, SIDEP, CC, BB:), XPLRD, HH, TOPTENZ) and 2 abundant channels- VisualPolitikEN, and Simon Whistler (however the last one only has only 1 video(it was actually his channel)) So 10+ 2 (kinda)
Hey uh Simon? I hate to be that guy but the rocket you showed at 2:32 was not an Atlas V 501. That was either an Atlas V 531, Atlas V 541, or Atlas V 551. The Atlas V designation system works out that the first number designates the fairing size, either 4 for the 4 meter fairing, 5 for the 5 meter fairing, or N for no fairing (used on Boeing Starliner). The second number refers to the number of strap on solid rocket motors, with the options being 0-3 motors for the 4 meter fairing, or 0-5 boosters for the 5 meter fairing (Unknown potential number of boosters for the Starliner configuration as the only option we have seen was the 2 boosters used on the Starliner Demo 1 launch). The 3rd number refers to the number of RL-10 engines on the Centaur 2nd stage, either 1 or 2 for either a single or dual engine stage, respectively. It should be noted for the final number that the only Atlas V to fly with 2 engines on the 2nd stage as of writing this comment was the Atlas V N22 used on Boeing Starliner
I have a cousin who worked on the X37-B. He’s a genius and has worked on classified projects for the US while at Raytheon and Boeing, has been a professor, and currently works for...somebody. All he said about the OTV is that it’s not as sexy as you think and it does some fairly boring stuff.
When watching any of Simon's channels, it is important to follow the following steps. Start video, click like, subscribe if you haven't already, and lastly, enjoy the show.
I've got it! Game Theory did a video about how the Among Us people are only about three feet tall. Someone that size could be living and working inthe X-37, preparing the world to deal with the Impostor menace, and with the single Crewmate up there (if that's not too much a contradiction in terms), there's nobody to be suspicious of ... except oneself...
I would link this to Mars missions due to the length of time it was 'dormant' in orbit being similar to the duration of a there and back trip. But the secrecy casts a long shadow over everything.
I have a "real" mega project idea. Canada's Confederation Bridge. Longest bridge in canada, and the largest bridge over a body of water that freezes solid. It's massive. What do you all think? worth a vote up?
SUGGESTION: Ilyushin IL-2 - Amazing WWII ground-attack "flying tank" and spiritual predecessor to the A-10 Warthog - The single most produced military aircraft in aviation history - Some WWII-era Wehrmacht nicknames for it: "meat grinder", "butcher", "black death", "slaughterer", "concrete bird" - What Stalin had to say about it: "Our Red Army now needs IL-2 aircraft like the air it breathes, like the bread it eats."
You can discuss “hazmat” (adorable term) those in the know see technicians servicing a multi-mission that utilizes Hydrazine a Hypergolic fuel with oxidizing properties requiring an advanced self contained atmospheric protective ensemble. But ya, civilians… go watch some ancient aliens ;)
The Boeing X37s are the only American space shuttle currently there`s the sierra nevada dream chaser due for launch 2022.In 2011, Boeing announced plans for a scaled-up variant of the X-37B, referring to it as the X-37c.
Many Fighter jets have an emergency hydrazine fuel. The energy density is huge. If it wasn't "Explode if you look at it sideways" unstable it would be a beautiful thing.
I really like Alex Hollings‘ take: Developing and launching a conventional spy satellite can take pretty long, by the time it‘s in orbit the equipment onboard is likely out of date. With the X-37B, you load in the top of the line stuff, launch it, and you have a better spy satellite. And you can put newer and newer stuff in.
Space Plane and Space Force were ideas submitted to the Pentagon in a 1997 paper with hand drawings under the title 'The Organic Battlefield. These ideas began development under Rumsfeld and began to appear already in the 2001 and 2003 wars against Afghanistan and Iraq. The idea of Space Plane was to entirely map space and what was up there in relation to everything else. Then the plane was to be able to navigate about space, to sabotage the satellites of adversaries possibly by tagging them with devices that would neutralize them when given the signal. Other ideas in The Organic Battlefield were three ships: the Littoral, the Zumwalt, and Sea Hunter. The EM rail gun, Styker APC's and light mobile infantry Stryker brigades with close air support. Computer and satellite linked communications with a Central Command; the little cameras mounted atop helmets were part of this organic 'big picture' in real time communications. On and on, a host of ideas still being developed by DARPA to this day.
Knowing how a long time in space can affect important equipment, such as a flight to mars is important. But we already know that, don't we, so there is other factors at play here. We can just keep guessing. What amazes me is that the secrecy of the X37 has not been broken.
People REALLY need to connect the dots regarding what this thing is capable of, when it was revealed, when it was likely ACTUALLY placed in service, how many there probably are, and the retirement od the SR71. It ain't that complicated to deduce capabilites and applications, see the overlap in roles, and added benefits of the newer program. They've even revealed some of how it can rapidly maneuver and given you hints as to HOW.
Back in 2012 when I was a new Airman at Vandenburg AFB I walked the runway looking for debris before being able to watch this thing land. I'm so glad I chose a job at AFSPC and now USSF.
First we had the Blaze attitude bleeding into other channels, now we have the Blaze meme's, and I am loving it!
I don't understand?
@@archstanton6102 It's a reference to one of Simon's other channels, Business Blaze, where he just goes off the rails and the editor adds in a lot of "vintage memes"
If you were just quoting the meme, then lol 😂😂😂
@@Elementaro17 That is why it was the perfect answer
No one has ever accused me of being the quickest car at the track 🤣😂
Business Blaze is slowly infecting all of Simon's owned channels.
This is not a bad thing :)
"ALLEGEDLY" and I'm here for it
It does pay all the bills, and it brings viewers.
the crossover episode I've been waiting for
Its the power of the beard. The longer and bushier it gets the more the Blaze takes over
1:50 - Chapter 1 - Boeing X37
4:30 - Chapter 2 - Development
5:45 - Chapter 3 - Testing the X37
7:35 - Chapter 4 - New variant X37B
9:10 - Chapter 5 - Flights
12:35 - Chapter 6 - What is it up to ?
Thank you
I love how he always decides if the video will do well in the beginning
I like to guess :D
And he was right! Already viewed 150k times. Amazing.
How about a mega projects on having dozens of UA-cam channels?😉
Hit right in the feels.
What I love with projects like this one (highly classified), is that some people who are watching vids like this, know exactly what's going on. They would think "Ha, if you only knew" to "Wow, they're point on".
Correct.
I worked on it. It's Aliens
It's just the latest spy plane. Also some experimental stuff.
@@DouglasLippi from someone who worked on it, they told me it is a failure and remains classified to avoid embarassment. Apparently it doesn't do what it was intended to, or perhaps it does but is really shitty. The "guy" wrked for Lockheed Martin, contributed to the Hubble, and had projects with phantom works. He was my former scout master. Ran in to him the other wee after having not seen him in a decade, sold him a bicycle rack and chatted about sciencew stuff
@@JakeVonDoom He's pulling your leg. 🙂 If he really did work on it, he'd know the spacecraft itself isn't classified. Weird but true! It was built for NASA, not the Air Force. NASA just eventually had to drop it during a round of belt-tightening, and the USAF decided it looked useful.
Ask your friend: if it was a failure, why would they spend millions to launch it again and again?
3:45 Oh, yeah, the old NTO-UDMH mixture, always fun that stuff. (Di)Nitrogen Tetroxide is (almost) just what it sounds like - Two Nitrogen bound to each other and each bound to two oxygens. This is an _incredibly_ powerful oxidizer with loads of chemical potential and treacherously dancing on the very edge of stability. Unsymmetric Dimethyl Hydrazine is a form of Hydrazine (a very similar molecule to NTO, but with Hydrogens instead of Oxygens and far more stable) but with both Hydrogens that accompany one of the Nitrogens replaced with Methyl (like Methane, CH4) groups. This great imbalance in atomic mass makes the comparatively-tame Hydrazine way less stable and carry way more energy and violently react on contact with a wide host of chemicals. This readily-reactive nature is what is meant by Hypergolic - This will react and combust upon contact with no need for an external ignition source. Naturally, if you mix both NTO and UDMH, both hypergolic and unpleasant on their own, the resulting combustion is very rapid and reliable. It's useful for spacecraft because you just need a little of each to start the reaction going without having to worry about complex igniter systems, allowing for easy re-ignition of engines or thrusters that use these propellants.
We called it Satan Fuel in class
Thanks! I was going to provide approximately the same info., but figured that someone else had already done it.
I had a cocktail named that once.
Hypergolic fuels are awesome. Dangerous, but extremely useful.
Simon: what could the X-37 be doing up there? China: What's going on with our satellites??
I 100% believe it's capable of intercepting imagery from, eavesdropping on and possibly electronic warfare on enemy satellites! I can't think of any better idea and if the "Space Force" or DOD, NRO and Geospatial Intelligence Agency or NSA hasn't thought of that yet, well they are stupid. I highly doubt those individuals are stupid, so they obviously thought of the possibilities of such a vehicle equipped with similar technology we already implement in electronic warfare planes, SIGINT, ELINT and whatever else that is deployed on earth, on satellites, etc., and put it int the X-37B!
US space technology is a joke. The Chinese are already eating our lunch and light years ahead of US space tech. They have already stolen the plans for the X37 and they have nothing to worry about.
@@patdohrety2940 not doubting you, but your source?
@@silentdagger1166 China just landed an advanced rover on Mars. All they need to do is steal our tech, which is extremely easy to accomplish
@@patdohrety2940 not really, China is still years behind the US and more importantly Russia. If anything challenges the US in space, it's the might and tech of Russia, as they're leading in several fields of propulsion and rocket science. This is also the sort of tech they don't share with partners like for example India or China, as Russia clearly wants to keep that edge.
As of know, the US and Russia still are the only big players. With countries like China, South Korea, Japan, India and the EU playing catch up.
Wait. Were there always memes in Megaprojects? Is this the MegaBlaze? I love it
I call this megablaze, also sideblaze. Both have a bit of our boi with the blaze personalities creeping in. ;) LOVE IT.
Business Blaze slow takeover every other channel cannot be stopped
The blaze is slowly creeping in. MegaBlaze, SideBlaze.... GeoBlaze is gong to be interesting.
@@mnichols1979 BioBlaze? Top Blazes?
@@mnichols1979 Also CriminalBlaze/CasualBlaze
The cult of blaze is growing stronger
I don't understand
I don't understand, b!tch
The Blaze comes for us all... allegedly.
Smash that dislike button
Civilian pukes and your adorable speculations.
My grandfather worked on the X-37b before he retired in 2015. I talked to him about his time working on it and apparently, even he has no idea what it's doing up there.
... That he's allowed to say 🤣🤐
That is how secret projects are kept secret. They assign work to people in tiny bits. Enough to get the work done, but not enough to know what it is about. A small and easy to understand example: I ask you to make a spool of thread. You make the spool of thread but you have no idea what I am going to use it for. I ask someone else to make panels of cloth. They make the cloth but have no idea what it is used for. I ask someone to make some foam. They make the foam but have no idea what it is used for. I ask someone to make some springs. They have no idea what I am going to use them for. I then receive all of the things that were made and assemble... a chair cushion. And while a chair cushion is nothing worth mentioning, the process by which I made it in this example is exactly what your grandfather did. He made a single piece of a larger puzzle.
@@danielduncan6806 Yeah, I just thought it was a bit strange since he was the head of choosing materials for it, so it would seem logical that he would know what it's doing.
@@bonesmalone5802 Maybe he'll be forced to kill you once he told you the truth..
But seriously, @Daniel Duncan's explanation seems far more plausible than mine. Compartmentalization in developement appears to be more a rule than an exception with secret projects like this.
Probably worked as a spy satellite, since the biggest downfall of spy satellites is that people can predict their orbit. Since the x37 was known to change the shape of its orbit pretty significantly, it can do things that most spy satellites can't. It's a big plane with tons of room though so it's easy to do a bunch of other things at the same time to maintain your cover
While I won't rule out the X-37B being able to later deploy some sort of attack capability, I'd be extremely surprised if it didn't have some sort of preprogrammed routines for evasive manoeuvrers to escape being attacked by an adversary of some sort. This is because it's an Air Force asset and they'd want to make it hard to destroy, regardless of what it is or isn't doing up there.
To be fair I'm here mainly for Simon's charisma, such a funny lad and I like learning a thing or two that I didn't know about the subject of the video :)
Military ain't about specifics. Military's all about generals.
Always enjoy the Mega Projects random size comparisons :-)
"Probably gonna do well"
Ya think?
Viewed 150 thousand times in under 24 hours. Epic
Few Good Men: "You can't handle the truth!"
US Space Force: "What he said."
i love this guy and his shows.. i hope more are like him
I love it when a little bit of business Blaze leaks into the other channels
This is one of my top 5 favorite channels. No ranking of the 5. They are equally excellent and interesting. As long as you are rolling out new videos I'll be watching. 👍👍
Ok, the little bird plummeting was funny in context. "Woooo!"
“Well, WE’RE NOT GONNA TELL YOU MORE!”
Heck yeah, this is the most intriguing space program! Glad you are covering this.
0:56 Space Force ‘brilliantly funny tv show’- yeah, sure, if you have the equivalent awareness of an infant with jangling keys
i'd love to see a video on the falcon 9 rocket by spacex, how they managed to get the booster to re-land safetly on the earth
There’s a documentary on Netflix about Elon (space x) and nasa sending the falcon to the space station
Space X based their work on the DC-X built by McDonnell Douglas in the ‘90s. Elon Musk even said, “Just continuing the great work of the DC-X project!” JAXA also had the RVT-9, which was incredibly stable. You can watch of video of that takeoff and landing here on UA-cam. It’s a 16-year old video too! The Russians worked on one or are working on one. Chrysler, of all companies was commissioned by NASA to build a RVT or reusable vehicle in the late ‘60s. It was called SERV, (Single-stage Earth-orbital Reusable Vehicle), which was going to be part of the Space Shuttle program, but I believe President Nixon cut the program. Blue Origin’s New Shepard is based of the Chrysler design. Lots of good history when it comes to RVs.
Damn, timing on this one ay, I already know its gonna be good, so, good video!
Edit: also seems to be some Blaze leaking into this video, i like it :D
@@Amlaeuxrai Right I don't know why that meme is so particularly enjoyable but it makes me happy every time
give a raise to whoever edited what happens at 3:40
omg I died XD
You can tell looking at it that it is one of those space planes that says “oops sorry” every time it farts by looking at its butt. It’s ashamed of it’s thruster.
“Wooops sorry, I had a big lunch, so embarrassing 😳 “
Yay, I think I (among others I'm sure) suggested this a while back so I'm happy it's here. Fascinating aircraft/spacecraft.
sadly, the reason not much is known about it is because it's a pretty shitty spacecraft. From someone who worked for lockheed martin and had been contracted for work with phantom works disclosed to me that the x-37 remains classified to avoid embarassment about it's abilities while chuckling
@@JakeVonDoom uh-huh, because they'd totally keep it flying for as often and long as they do if that's the case
I don't understand what happened but I had a momentary flash to Business Blaze in the middle of this
Was going to comment about some Blaze showing more and more in your other channels but I see I've been beaten to it. Love it!
“It’s probably just spying” lol
Since it's almost impossible to overestimate the value of spying on everyone else (which is what our country is good at), that's probably 99% of what it was doing in space.
@@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts Everyone else? Or just plain Everyone?
Getting everybody's license plate number.
8:38 I think that may have been written by the same people who wrote something that we all had to remember back in the cold war: "We were on a training mission to the North Atlantic for the purpose of demonstrating the ship's ability to operate unsupported for an extended period of time." That may not be exact, it was 30 years ago and I could not find an actual quote. It was the "unclassified word" that we were to use in the event of capture. So if it helps, yes; whatever we were doing was very boring.
This was really delightful, Thank You! Good job on pronouncing that engine lol.
The Boy with the Blaze coming with that fire. Allegedly. 😉
If I had a radio controlled plane as stellar as that, I'd keep it up for 2 years only because it sounds amazing!!!
Thank you.... Always....great flow of information
Imagine being an engineer who helped design components on the X37. And imagine that engineer stumbling upon this video and recognizing a couple of those components he designed. And then imagine that engineer hearing Simon Whistler say, "and that's all we know about it", but HE knows a HELL of lot more.
Imagine that. 😁
I’m guessing that engineer is you. 😂
When can you talk about it?
You'd be kind of disappointed -- when the X-37B was designed, it wasn't classified. It was a fully unclassified NASA project. And then it got cancelled. Weird but true: X-37 itself is not classified. What it carries in its payload bay, and what else might be riding up on its payload adapter, well, now that's a different story.
the editing makes these videos more engaging well done
I was just reading about this and this video was uploaded.
Great video as always Simon. I remember a few years ago that the Air Force requested funds from congress to design and build an X-37C, which would have been a scaled up version of this vehicle. It would have been man-rated for a crew of six people. However, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology rejected the budget request, saying that it was unnecessary for the Air Force to have a manned space vehicle. The committee said the Air Force “failed to show any justification, purpose, or advantage of having a manned version of the X-37 vehicle”. I think the Congress is shortsighted.
@Marc K
RE: "I remember a few years ago that the Air Force requested funds from Congress to design and build an X-37C, which would have been a scaled-up version of this vehicle."
Would you happen to recall the date, or at least the year? I want to find out who were the specific congress-critters who voted against the X-37C.
RE: "I think the Congress is shortsighted."
Well, what else can you expect from a bunch of politicians, most of whom are lawyers?
92' Oldsmobile silhouette coming in for a landing.
Fucking mint
Hi there, Simon. A suggestion for a video(or short series) for Megaprojects. Since you(and us) are so much into aviation, how about doing something on the early history of aviation? Without the experimentation, and sacrifices, of the early pioneers, we wouldn't have such great aircraft today. From the early balloonists, gliders and powered flyers of the day, there's a lot to be talked about. ;)
‘It’s probably just spying’ is definitely probably the right answer.
Awesome topic. I fully geeked out on it. Thankyouverymuch!
Go simon!
Watching Simon Blaze slowly infect Simon Tenz, Simon Grahps and Simon Projects is simply glorious...the basement must be cramped by now.
The feisty offspring of the space shuttle is prepared to fight things, adorable.
I'm still sad that the Space-Shuttle or to better say it the Orbiter didn't have a bomber variant.
@@DefinitelyNotEmma Im sure it had a poop dropper, close enough
@Alex Rossouw
The X-37B is NOT a space plane. Since it is unmanned, it is merely a space DRONE. I wish people would get that straight. But then, NASA has been full of hype ever since its inception.
@@spaceman081447 I never said it was..
These (known) experiments are actually really cool!
I was at Edward's on 7 April 2006 and watched it run off the end of the runway.The chase plane was a Beechcraft Starship, another unusual and rare aircrafts
You're thinking of Dream Chaser. The aerodynamic test article had a landing gear failure, which caused it to veer off the centerline after touchdown.
@calliarcale I don't think so, from what I've read that aircraft was launched from a helicopter. The incident I witnessed had the aircraft launched from Burt Rutans White Knight, the same aircraft that launched spaceship one. The chase plane was a beechcraft starship which was pretty cool to see itself
I’d never heard of this so I really enjoyed it!
I like how you were impressed about the speed ..... that's just the speed that ANY spacecraft in low earth orbit is going and needs to cope with upon re-entry. When Starship does it - a 50m long craft - THAT will be amazing and much more mind-blowing!!!!
Yes very true :)
Simon Whistler, the only man to enjoy "Space Force"
Also as a Space Nerd, maybe Simon should look to Scott Manley for Super Project ideas. Hypergolics are a common discussion theme. Extremely hazardous to humans, hence the hazmat suits in the pictures used in your own video ;)
It's amazing to see what started with basic rockets in germany in the 40s evolved into tech like this. Truly a great time to be alive.
Hate to break it to you but the germans based their work on rockets on American rocket designs from the late 1920s.
Business Blaze is making its way into every other series. YES
A-10 warthog video please!
Simon's channels (and Danny's scripts from the basement) have helped this last year+. ❤
Well since its on here I don't think it qualifies to be secret anymore? Just kidding. The real secret is how many channels does Simon have?
12 if I counted right
Or 11
We dont ask those questions...
@@danielladwein2570 Biographics, Geographics, TIFO, TopTenz, Mega Projects, Side Projects, BB, CC, XPLRD, he used to do VisualPolitik, but doesn't anymore, what am I missing?
Oh yeah Highlight History...so that's 10, 11 if you count VP.
@@QBCPerdition yeah 10 (TIFO, BIOG, GEOG, MEGAP, SIDEP, CC, BB:), XPLRD, HH, TOPTENZ) and 2 abundant channels- VisualPolitikEN, and Simon Whistler (however the last one only has only 1 video(it was actually his channel))
So 10+ 2 (kinda)
I love all your channels! All your vids are good - but the aircraft ones are best!
Hey uh Simon? I hate to be that guy but the rocket you showed at 2:32 was not an Atlas V 501. That was either an Atlas V 531, Atlas V 541, or Atlas V 551. The Atlas V designation system works out that the first number designates the fairing size, either 4 for the 4 meter fairing, 5 for the 5 meter fairing, or N for no fairing (used on Boeing Starliner). The second number refers to the number of strap on solid rocket motors, with the options being 0-3 motors for the 4 meter fairing, or 0-5 boosters for the 5 meter fairing (Unknown potential number of boosters for the Starliner configuration as the only option we have seen was the 2 boosters used on the Starliner Demo 1 launch). The 3rd number refers to the number of RL-10 engines on the Centaur 2nd stage, either 1 or 2 for either a single or dual engine stage, respectively. It should be noted for the final number that the only Atlas V to fly with 2 engines on the 2nd stage as of writing this comment was the Atlas V N22 used on Boeing Starliner
#Legend
6:09!! The bird. That CRACKED me up!!🤡
Bet they're just carrying tardigrades as space tourists.
I have a cousin who worked on the X37-B. He’s a genius and has worked on classified projects for the US while at Raytheon and Boeing, has been a professor, and currently works for...somebody. All he said about the OTV is that it’s not as sexy as you think and it does some fairly boring stuff.
Maybe soon there will a Russian version of it and photos of the x37 will appear on the Kremlin twitter page lol.
Chinese* They like to copy everything.
@@Monkofthecaribbean Very true 👍😂
Then it could be named Y-72z
@@Monkofthecaribbean Lol, they already have one now that you mention it
It's a secret. LOL
When watching any of Simon's channels, it is important to follow the following steps. Start video, click like, subscribe if you haven't already, and lastly, enjoy the show.
Video about creating super-acids, or super-bases?
1.41 intentions honorable.....Boeing??
Doubtful, great video Simon
Did the meme boi allegedly edit this?
I mean.. Simon does already have Danny and Sam locked in his basement... He's gotta keep them busy some how so they don't try and escape....
I love seeing Simon geek out over the same things I do.
Can you please do "rods from God"?!
I've got it!
Game Theory did a video about how the Among Us people are only about three feet tall. Someone that size could be living and working inthe X-37, preparing the world to deal with the Impostor menace, and with the single Crewmate up there (if that's not too much a contradiction in terms), there's nobody to be suspicious of ... except oneself...
I would link this to Mars missions due to the length of time it was 'dormant' in orbit being similar to the duration of a there and back trip. But the secrecy casts a long shadow over everything.
Interesting video mate, thank you!!
I still love hearing the "Space Force" thing, it doesn't sound real at all, more like a film!!
I have a "real" mega project idea.
Canada's Confederation Bridge. Longest bridge in canada, and the largest bridge over a body of water that freezes solid.
It's massive. What do you all think? worth a vote up?
Bringing the Blaze to the Megas.😎🔥
The White House would be an awesome topic.
I heard it was painted the white colour after it was burned in 1812, as a anti retardant
Brilliant explanation, Sir!
Am I the only one that has a echo inside my head when I hear SPAAAACE FOOOOOORCE!
SUGGESTION: Ilyushin IL-2
- Amazing WWII ground-attack "flying tank" and spiritual predecessor to the A-10 Warthog
- The single most produced military aircraft in aviation history
- Some WWII-era Wehrmacht nicknames for it: "meat grinder", "butcher", "black death", "slaughterer", "concrete bird"
- What Stalin had to say about it: "Our Red Army now needs IL-2 aircraft like the air it breathes, like the bread it eats."
We just gonna ignore that the crew is wearing hazmat suits
Yeah I had the same thought
Aw civilian pukes so, so clueless.
You can discuss “hazmat” (adorable term) those in the know see technicians servicing a multi-mission that utilizes Hydrazine a Hypergolic fuel with oxidizing properties requiring an advanced self contained atmospheric protective ensemble.
But ya, civilians… go watch some ancient aliens ;)
The Boeing X37s are the only American space shuttle currently there`s the sierra nevada dream chaser due for launch 2022.In 2011, Boeing announced plans for a scaled-up variant of the X-37B, referring to it as the X-37c.
i watched an old video the other day that had Simon without a beard and to be honest i still havent recovered
I think he explains in a vid somewhere his wife made him do it for family portraits with their baby.
You let Sam use the internet for 1 hour and this is what happens.
Excellent stuff dude
plot twist: it was actually used to send Amazon packages around the world.
Mmaaaaannnnn that beard is growing in good!
Many Fighter jets have an emergency hydrazine fuel. The energy density is huge. If it wasn't "Explode if you look at it sideways" unstable it would be a beautiful thing.
or horrifically toxic...
Memes on Megaprojects? I love it🤣🤣
I really like Alex Hollings‘ take:
Developing and launching a conventional spy satellite can take pretty long, by the time it‘s in orbit the equipment onboard is likely out of date.
With the X-37B, you load in the top of the line stuff, launch it, and you have a better spy satellite. And you can put newer and newer stuff in.
Falcon 9 was the last record vehicle to launch the X37. But the current one in space is believed to break that record by 25%+
Erie Railroad and Virginian Railway Triplexes: The most unusual steam locomotives ever built.
Space Plane and Space Force were ideas submitted to the Pentagon in a 1997 paper with hand
drawings under the title 'The Organic Battlefield. These ideas began development under Rumsfeld
and began to appear already in the 2001 and 2003 wars against Afghanistan and Iraq. The idea of
Space Plane was to entirely map space and what was up there in relation to everything else. Then
the plane was to be able to navigate about space, to sabotage the satellites of adversaries possibly
by tagging them with devices that would neutralize them when given the signal. Other ideas in The
Organic Battlefield were three ships: the Littoral, the Zumwalt, and Sea Hunter. The EM rail gun,
Styker APC's and light mobile infantry Stryker brigades with close air support. Computer and
satellite linked communications with a Central Command; the little cameras mounted atop helmets
were part of this organic 'big picture' in real time communications. On and on, a host of ideas still
being developed by DARPA to this day.
The development of the shuttle stalled with the first iteration🚀. I think the X37 is just a continuation of the work started in the 70s 👨🏻🚀
I love how Business Blaze is seeping through to Simon's other channels
When you going to do one on KSC? Been asking for months. This is a mega project that keeps getting more mega.
Yes just a sprinkle of blaze in everything!
Hell yes on the content keep it up blaze
Knowing how a long time in space can affect important equipment, such as a flight to mars is important. But we already know that, don't we, so there is other factors at play here.
We can just keep guessing.
What amazes me is that the secrecy of the X37 has not been broken.
Mach 25 upon re-entry is pretty standard, because you can't orbit the earth going much slower than that and slowing down in space requires propellant.
People REALLY need to connect the dots regarding what this thing is capable of, when it was revealed, when it was likely ACTUALLY placed in service, how many there probably are, and the retirement od the SR71.
It ain't that complicated to deduce capabilites and applications, see the overlap in roles, and added benefits of the newer program. They've even revealed some of how it can rapidly maneuver and given you hints as to HOW.
Back in 2012 when I was a new Airman at Vandenburg AFB I walked the runway looking for debris before being able to watch this thing land. I'm so glad I chose a job at AFSPC and now USSF.