A West-Wing Space Question (Seriously)

[CaptainChewbacca]

I was watching West Wing last Wednsday, and on the show astronauts are trapped on the ISS. In order to save them, apparently the President could send a military space shuttle-bomber to save them, but it would damage national security.

Now, is a secret military space shuttle a possible/likely thing to exist?

[sketerpot]

Now, is a secret military space shuttle a possible/likely thing to exist?

How would they test it? And why would they keep it secret?

[Chmee]

In an otherwise good show, it was a pretty ridiculous plot element .... they hinted that it 'must have been launched at least once without being detected' ..... like it was a Stealth launch vehicle or something ...... not their finest moment.

[FedRebel]

Now, is a secret military space shuttle a possible/likely thing to exist?

Maybe
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science ... 81221.html

[Sea Skimmer]

I was watching West Wing last Wednsday, and on the show astronauts are trapped on the ISS. In order to save them, apparently the President could send a military space shuttle-bomber to save them, but it would damage national security.

Did they even try to deal with the issue that the ISS has an escape pod for the crew?

Now, is a secret military space shuttle a possible/likely thing to exist?

It is possible, in that enough funding exists in the black budget to pay for such a thing, but it would be very very unlikely. Anyway, even if they did have some form of secret space capable aircraft, they aren't going to build it with three extra seats and the ability to dock with the ISS. That would enormously increase weight which means enormously increasing cost while not increasing the payload. If the money was to be had, then the US military would spend it giving the thing a bigger bomb bay.

Now, is a secret military space shuttle a possible/likely thing to exist?

Maybe
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science ... 81221.html

Popular Mechanics if generally full of shit when it comes to the military. They claim to have discovered some new secret base or project on a very regular basis, espically in terms of uber aircraft. Usually at best what they uncover is some concept study, which was never a serious project and never meant to be one (though they won't tell you this often blatant fact) assuming they have any basis in reality at all.

[SirNitram]

One could extrapolate that the X-33, I think it was, was actually built, tested, and got refitted into an ultra-fast bomber; I think it's cargo bay was sufficient for a nuclear warhead, and it would outrun most ICBMs.

But it's rather out there.

[Sea Skimmer]

One could extrapolate that the X-33, I think it was, was actually built, tested, and got refitted into an ultra-fast bomber; I think it's cargo bay was sufficient for a nuclear warhead, and it would outrun most ICBMs.

But it's rather out there.

Espically considering how fucked up the X-33 program was. Anyway, X-33 blasts off like a rocket, and it's pretty damn hard to hide that sort of launch. It would probuably be detected by Russian infrared sensors, which scan for ICBM and SLBM launch plums, even if no one unauthorized the ground saw it. I suppose though if it was launched from the southern hemisphere the Russians might not have any infrared coverage of the area. Still, an air-launched spacecraft would be far far more viable as a secret program.

[tumbletom]

Do you think they have something like those titanium shuttles like in Armaggedon hidden anywhere?

[SirNitram]

Do you think they have something like those titanium shuttles like in Armaggedon hidden anywhere?

No; as Skimmer put it, anything that launches like a rocket is too obvious.

If you watch Stargate, there may be something akin to the F-302: Something which uses multi-engine setups to boost itself incredibly high.

[darthdavid]

Well maybe if it used transforming engines like discussed in the TBOverse it might be able to get up into space undetected. Maybe.