back to article Clandestine US 'space warplane' extends orbital mission

The second of the US Air Force's mysteriously-missioned X-37B spaceplanes is going to continue its clandestine operations in orbit past its intended nine months. Detail on the X-37B's wings. Credit: USAF X-37B. Credit: USAF The spaceship, dubbed a 'secret space warplane' by the Iranians, has been in orbit since March 5, …

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  1. 1Rafayal
    Thumb Up

    Well duh - obviously this thing is zapping Mars bound probes on behalf of the Lizard people.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Is the test team

    part of The Bunko Squad?

    (1970s!).

    :-)

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It is currently attached to Phobos-Grunt...

  4. Richard Ball

    tardis

    And if you stick eggboxes all over the inside of the nose shroud, you make it look amazingly futuristic as well as scarily secret.

    Presumably it's a platform for catching or knocking out other peoples' space-vehicles.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Eggboxes

      I assumed it was actually really small and made from Lego.

  5. Poor Coco
    Trollface

    They are using them to keep track of the Occupy movement. Because, in the eyes of the Pentagon, it’s simpler to do that with a Space Shuttle than with some dude sitting there listening.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Aristos in space

    When you own the country, the recession is something that happens to the little people.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Holmes

    You're all paranoid

    It's obvious what's really happened - they've lost it, and rather than admit they've lost a multi-billion-dollar toy they're going to keep extending the mission until it retires. This way they don't have to fake a secret landing.

  8. Queeg
    Black Helicopters

    lolz

    The search for that Low Orbit Ion Cannon has been given the highest priority.

  9. Beachrider

    I love it when British press quotes Iranian press...

    State secret launches have happened from Wallops, Canaveral and Vandenberg for ~50 years. Remember that USA sources were quoted on the exact position of Phobos-Grunt and that NASA is charged with keeping the ISS safely out-of-the-way from space trash. We are watching...

    X37B is similar to the SS in form-only. Not only is it smaller, it is WAAAAY smaller. It does evoke one of those Bond films in that it appears to be charged with capture and return of things in space. That is always good for some drama...

  10. Kharkov
    Trollface

    No, you're all wrong

    It was put up there by Paul Revere to warn the British who are watching the US Embassy in Tehran.

    Michelle Bachmann said so...

    And PS, notice the correct spelling. I'm NOT in the tae parti

  11. GougedEye

    Death Star?

    Like the colour scheme. very "Darth Vader / The Empire".

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    haterz

    and Iranians gonna hate.

    U jelly?

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It goes to Zeta Reticulli

    And maintains the comms network to the planet...

  14. Ashley Stevens

    Orbiting recycling bin

    Clearly it's an orbiting trash can/recycling bin. The can is not full so may as well keep it up there until full before bringing the recycling down to earth and putting it out with the cardboard and plastic. :-)

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