spacetoday.net: LRO launch delayed for spaceplane mission

Posted: Wed, Jul 30, 2008, 7:00 AM ET (1100 GMT)
X-37 illustration (NASA/MSFC)

The launch of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been delayed until early next year, clearing room on the launch manifest for the launch of an experimental military spaceplane. LRO had been scheduled for a November launch on an Atlas 5, but has been delayed until February of 2009 to allow more time to complete testing of the spacecraft. The postponement clears a spot in the launch manifest for the first flight of the X-37B, an experimental subscale spaceplane prototype that will also be launched on an Atlas 5. The X-37, which has been under development for years, albeit at a low level of activity, will land back at Edwards Air Force Base in California after its test flight.