Submission + - Manned X37B version suggested at Space 2011 (suasnews.com) 1
garymortimer writes: "Many conspiracy theorists already believe this can happen.
London, Oct 11 A Boeing chief has suggested that the company’s mysterious unmanned space-plane, called X-37B, developed for the US Air Force, could be scaled up and modified to carry astronauts.
The company’s X-37B project chief Art Grantz revealed that at least two more versions of the 9-metre long space-plane are under investigation – one of which involves adding a crew to a much-enlarged version of the space drone, New Scientist reported.
If built, the new version would give the US back its ability to shuttle people to the International Space Station."
London, Oct 11 A Boeing chief has suggested that the company’s mysterious unmanned space-plane, called X-37B, developed for the US Air Force, could be scaled up and modified to carry astronauts.
The company’s X-37B project chief Art Grantz revealed that at least two more versions of the 9-metre long space-plane are under investigation – one of which involves adding a crew to a much-enlarged version of the space drone, New Scientist reported.
If built, the new version would give the US back its ability to shuttle people to the International Space Station."
Boeing's already done it, on paper. (Score:2)
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Boeing_X-20_Dyna-Soar [wikimedia.org]
The X-20 Dyna-Soar ("Dynamic Soarer") was a United States Air Force (USAF) program to develop a spaceplane that could be used for a variety of military missions, including reconnaissance, bombing, space rescue, satellite maintenance, and sabotage of enemy satellites. The program ran from 24 October 1957 to 10 December 1963, cost US$660 million ($4.73 billion today[1]), and was cancelled just after spacecraft construction had begun.