NASA 174286main X37-Historical

NASA Facts
National Aeronautics and

Space Administration
Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville, Alabama 35812
FS-2003-09-121-MSFC September 2003
X-37 Technology Demonstrator: Blazing the trail for the

next generation of space transportation systems
In August 1998, NASA issued a research announce- systems, avionics and structures. Propulsion system tech-
ment soliciting proposals from the aerospace industry nologies to be tested included main propulsion systems,
for “Future-X” -- a flight demonstrator vehicle to test and propellants, and high-temperature materials.
validate emerging technologies that could dramatically
reduce the cost of space transportation. In December 1998, NASA selected The Boeing Company
of Seal Beach, Calif., for negotiations, leading to a July
The announcement called for proposals for flight dem- 1999 award of a four-year cooperative agreement to de-
onstrations that required actual flight-testing as a critical velop the X-37 advanced flight demonstrator. The coopera-
step in validating and maturing space transportation tech- tive agreement, valued at $173 million, included a 50/50
nologies. Airframe system technologies to be developed cost sharing agreement between NASA and Boeing. Over
and tested included propellant tanks, thermal protection the four-year period, the government added approximately
$40 million to the agreement. Therefore, total value of the The Approach and Landing Test Vehicle (ALTV) will vali-
government share of the cooperative agreement was $125 date system performance of the approach, landing and
million, including the U.S. Air Force contribution of $16 turnaround operations needed for flight. It will demonstrate
million for additional technology experiments, including an integrated Flight Operations Control Center, as well as
advanced solar arrays and enhanced attitude controls range and vehicle flight test operations. In addition, the
needed to improve future military spacecraft. Boeing con- vehicle will validate aerodynamic stability and structural
tributed approximately $67 million toward the cooperative integrity. The vehicle also will demonstrate automated
agreement. operations in the approach and landing range environ-
ment. The X-37 ALTV will be released from a B-52 aircraft
The X-37 was the third in a series of advanced reus- at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet to demonstrate descent
able technology demonstrators, following the X-33 and and landing. The trajectory will duplicate to the maximum
X-34. While those demonstrators were designed to flight extent possible the expected reentry trajectory of the
test technologies at lower altitudes and speeds, the X- Orbital Vehicle. Five unpowered flight tests are scheduled
37 would be the first to explore the orbital and re-entry to begin in 2004.
phases of flight.
Based on the X-37 Approach and Landing Test Vehicle, the
The reusable X-37 was designed to demonstrate a total X-37 Orbital Vehicle will test key, embedded technologies
of 41 embedded technologies and flight experiments and flight experiments in relevant environments of ascent,
aimed at significantly cutting the cost of space flight. on-orbit, reentry and landing phases of flight. Technologies
It could be ferried into space via the Space Shuttle to be tested include thermal protection systems, advanced
or launched aboard an expendable launch vehicle. The guidance, navigation and control, avionics, high tempera-
shape of the X-37 was a 120-percent scale derivative ture structures, conformal reusable insulation, and high-
of the X-40, an unpowered Air Force vehicle that was temperature seals. In addition, the X-37 Orbital Vehicle will
a subscale atmospheric demonstrator for the Air Force demonstrate unmanned automated orbital flight, reentry
Space Maneuver Vehicle program. The X-40 also was and landing. The X-37 Orbital Vehicle is being designed
designed and built by Boeing. It was loaned to the X-37 to accommodate orbital operations of up to nine months.
project and modified, becoming the X-40A. In 2001, the Several locations are being studied for the landing site.
X-40A flew seven successful unpowered approach and The orbital flight test is planned for late 2006.
landing tests at Dryden Flight Test Center.
The X-37 is approximately 27.5 feet long with a wingspan
The X-37 modular design was capable of accommodating of approximately 15 feet, and it contains an experiment
additional technologies for orbital testing such as advanced bay 7 feet long and 4 feet in diameter. The dry weight
thermal protection systems, propulsion systems, advance- of the X-37 will not exceed 7,500 pounds.
ments in avionics and other spacecraft systems.
The X-37 project is being conducted as a part of the Orbital
In November 2002, the Boeing Company was awarded Space Plane program. Information gained in X-37 technol-
a new contract for $301 million to continue work on the ogy demonstrations is directly applicable to the design and
X-37 flight demonstrator as part of NASA’s Space Launch development of the future Orbital Space Plane.
Initiative. The new contract included development of two
vehicles – the X-37 Approach and Landing Test Vehicle The X-37 government team, led by NASA’s Marshall
(ALTV) and the X-37 Orbital Vehicle. Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., also includes
NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, Calif.;
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Goddard Space Flight Cen-
ter in Greenbelt, Md.; Johnson Space Center in Houston;
Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.; Dryden Flight
Research Center and the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center,
both at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
For more information on flight demonstrators and the

Orbital Space Plane program, visit the Marshall web site at
http://www.nasa.gov/marshall/
National Aeronautics and

Space Administration
George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812
Pub 8-40182

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NASA Facts

National Aeronautics and

Marshall Space Flight Center

FS-2003-09-121-MSFC September 2003

X-37 Technology Demonstrator: Blazing the trail for the

For more information on flight demonstrators and the

National Aeronautics and

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