Second Boeing-built unmanned space plane set to launch Friday

[cqbcat]

Quit replacing humans.

[Zolofto]

[QUOTE=Kill001;28492325]The picture made it seem pretty big

[img_thumb]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/The_X-37B_OTV_is_inspected_after_landing_at_Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base%2C_California.jpg/800px-The_X-37B_OTV_is_inspected_after_landing_at_Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base%2C_California.jpg[/img_thumb]

it is tiny :saddowns:[/QUOTE]

Looks like sea mammal of some sort.

[ChristopherB]

[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;28494849]Looks like sea mammal of some sort.[/QUOTE]

Like an orca on its back.

[Raiskauskone V2]

[QUOTE=Kill001;28492325]The picture made it seem pretty big

[img_thumb]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/The_X-37B_OTV_is_inspected_after_landing_at_Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base%2C_California.jpg/800px-The_X-37B_OTV_is_inspected_after_landing_at_Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base%2C_California.jpg[/img_thumb]

it is tiny :saddowns:[/QUOTE]

Jesus it looks like it's held together with ducktape

[ChristopherB]

[QUOTE=Raiskauskone V2;28500528]Jesus it looks like it's held together with ducktape[/QUOTE]

Those are likely expansion joints. The heat shield is composed of ceramic tiles built to withstand the intense heat and pressures of reentry. As the tiles heat up they expand so if there were no space between the tiles they would shatter. Most vehicles and structures feature similar expansion joints.