http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120927/SPACE/120927020/Air-Force-mini-shuttle-X-37B-operations-may-move-Space-Coast
Taken from Florida Today on the Space Coast of Florida.
CAPE CANAVERAL -- The U.S. Air Force is thinking about consolidating mysterious mini-shuttle operations at Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the service said today.
Moreover, the upcoming third flight of the unmanned X-37B – a hush-hush vehicle also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV – might be capped with a landing at NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility.
Maj. Tracy Bunko, a spokesperson for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, said the service is "looking at space shuttle infrastructure for possible cost-saving measures, including the potential for consolidating landing, refurbishment and launch operations at Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral Air Force Station."
This is not finalized but could possibly happen. Consolidation of operations? I also noticed in the article that they called it a solar powered craft. I must have missed something somewhere.
Also in the article:
Its missions are classified top-secret. But Air Force officials say the spacecraft is being used to test advanced guidance, navigation and control systems as well as advanced thermal protection systems, high-temperature structures and seals, and lightweight electromechanical flight systems.
Additional Information:
http://spacecoastdaily.com/2014/01/orbiter-processing-facility-to-support-x-37b/
I live on the space coast and think it would be a shot in the arm economically. But this article seems to jump the gun. It is only being investigated as to whether it will happen.
Imagine being called Tracy Bunko.