Plan for Manned Version of X-37B Revealed

Bethany Whitfield

Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 10:21 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Boeing is proposing a manned version of the X-37B space plane, named X-37C, as described by chief engineer Arthur Grantz.
The X-37C would be approximately twice the size of the unmanned X-37B, capable of carrying five or six astronauts.
Its primary role would be to ferry both cargo and people to and from the International Space Station.
A key advantage is its low 1.5 G re-entry forces, which would allow for the transport of delicate experimental materials not currently supported by other spacecraft.

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A manned version of the X-37B space plane could be in the works, according to a paper recently delivered by Arthur Grantz, chief engineer of Space and Intelligence Systems’ Experimental Systems Group at Boeing.

The paper describes the proposed space plane, called X-37C, as a vehicle that would be approximately twice the size of the X-37B, the unmanned space plane operated by the United States Air Force for missions that have been shrouded in secrecy.