NASA PLANNING LONGER ORBIT FOR UNMANNED CRAFT.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

PALMDALE - In a step toward testing future technologies for the nation's next manned spacecraft, NASA is seeking to expand the capabilities of the unmanned X-37 to allow it to stay in orbit for as long as nine months rather than just two or three weeks.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is negotiating with Boeing's Phantom Works to expand the capabilities of the X-37 orbital vehicle, which is now in the design phase. NASA officials would not disclose the estimated cost of the changes.

NASA and Boeing have spent about $150 million thus far to design and develop the X-37, scheduled to launch in fiscal 2006.

``The first mission would be for two to three days,'' program manager Dan Dumbacher said. ``You don't want to take it out of the box and fly it to what you think its full orbit capability is.''

The change in the X-37's orbital capability will allow NASA to conduct more tests of technologies for future spacecraft, including testing systems for automatic rendezvous with the International Space Station or with other spacecraft. The X-37 would also be able to test equipment for weather and atmosphere observation.

The X-37 program is being used to test technologies for the Orbital Space Plane, a proposed manned spacecraft that will augment the nation's space shuttle fleet. NASA is planning to start using the Orbital Space Plane in 2008 for returning astronauts from the space station.

Boeing submitted a concept for the Orbital Space Plane that is essentially a larger version of the X-37, about the size of a business jet.

The new X-37 orbital vehicle will retain the same shape - 27.5 feet long with a wingspan of 15 feet. The X-37 will operate autonomously using onboard computers.

The changes will require additional on-orbit maneuvering thrusters, power systems, and thermal controls. The changes will add approximately 700 pounds to X-37, which is projected to weight 5 tons.

A Boeing official said the spacecraft will have components manufactured at a variety of company plants, but the final assembly work will be done in Palmdale.

Boeing's Phantom Works is also building a high-altitude X-37, which will test approach and landing technologies. That vehicle recently completed loads testing at Boeing's Huntington Beach facilities.

In that testing, the X-37 was subjected to stresses simulating the strains it will face in flight.

That testing was successfully and the X-37 will be sent back to Boeing's Palmdale facility so workers can install electronics and various subsystem equipment.

The high-altitude vehicle is expected to be shipped to NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in the spring. Flight testing is scheduled to begin next summer.

NASA plans to conduct five drop tests with the high-altitude X-37. The engineless craft will be carried aloft by a modified B-52 and dropped at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet.

The X-37 initially was funded under a 1999 $173 million contract with the costs being shared by NASA, Boeing and the Air Force. The Air Force later dropped out of the program.

In November, NASA awarded a $301 million contract to Boeing's Phantom Works division to continue the construction of the high altitude vehicle and to develop the orbital craft.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com

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(color in AV edition only) NASA's X-37 orbital vehicle, shown here in an artist's conception, is scheduled to launch in fiscal 2006.

NASA