Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/07/05/rare-image-of-us-air-forces.html
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in other news, astronomical telescopes now only for terrorists
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That’s actually the highly elusive Aircraft One.
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Yes, I believe these were quite instrumental in helping us win the Revolutionary War, achieving total air superiority over the Redcoat Air Force. - CinC
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Impressive.
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After further enhancements…
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“… it is really a small object, even at only 300 km altitude…”
Blimey, humans can be to clever and cool.
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You know that thing about how the GOP routinely accuse their opponents of things that they are doing themselves?
The same applies to the USA vs the rest of the world. Politics is fractal.
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The cannon was limited in use, due to the entire station would have to be moved for the cannon to change firing positions. According to several sources, the cannon was fired by ground control at a nearby satellite with success, some sources say that the cannon was fired until it ran out of ammunition. The gun was never fired when Salyut-3 was manned, there was a concern at the recoil that was produced by the NR-23 and could led to damage in the station hull integrity.
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Note that I’m not saying that the USSR did not also attempt to militarise space.
The space race was a military thing from the very beginning. The first US satellite was launched on a modified V2, for fuck’s sake.
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Open the payload bay door, please Hal.
I’'m afraid I can’t do that, Dave.
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weapons in space would be a line in the sand.
military personnel in space was standard from the get go.
I’m guessing that the air force uses this vehicle to deploy, retrieve. and maintain spy satellites (possibly at least somewhat useful for preventing war ) and military network satellites (much closer to militarization).
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It’s a space truck, and one of the most well known “secret” projects the US currently has. Any weapons the US does have in space is going to be hidden a lot better than sticking it on this thing.
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Astrophotographer Ralf Vandebergh captured an image of the US Air Force’s X-37B space plane
…and was never heard from again.
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In the beginning, there was darkness.
and the darkness was without form and void
and in the midst of the darkness, there was also me
and I moved upon the face of the darkness.
and I saw that I was alone
Let there be light.
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I mean I’m pretty anti-war and all, but holy shit that’s cool.
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