You are looking at a live view of the Falcon nine rocket on Space six, Launchpad 39 a preparing for lift off in just about 10 minutes from now at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

Two PM Universal Coordinated time Welcome to the live webcast of the US Air Force Orbital Test Vehicle five.

Mission.

I'm Michel Hamersley in materials Engineering, our electronics group, and today Space X is launching the U.

S.

Air Force is x 37 b orbital test vehicle from historic launch pad 39 a at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

This will be the fifth launch of the X 37 b and it's first on a Falcon nine.

The orbital test vehicle is an experimental program for a reliable, reusable unmanned space test platform for the U.

S.

Air Force.

The primary objectives of the orbital test vehicle are twofold.

To demonstrate reusable space craft technologies for America's future in space and to operate experiments which can be returned to and then examined on Earth.

For today's mission, we will also be attempting to land and recover.

The first stage will continue to cover this secondary objective once primary mission coverage has concluded.

The first stage will be landing back at Landing Zone one or LZ one, and today's attempt will be in daylight, which should produce some pretty incredible footage.

In the meantime, keep an eye on the countdown clock at the top right of your screen, and you can follow along with the major milestones, using the timeline at the bottom of your screen.

Yeah, launch Complex 39 A is the same launch pad that launched Saturn five Apollo and shuttle space six least the pad a few years ago and started launching from that hat at the beginning of this year.

We've constructed a massive hangar nearby that house both Falcon nine and Falcon Heavy, which, of course has three first stage boosters instead of just the one, the vehicle was rolled out of the hangar and raised to a vertical on the launch pad about seven hours ago.

Falcon nine is a two stage launch vehicle that comprises a high strength aluminum first stage as well as a high strength aluminum second stage, and they're joined by a composite interstate.

The X 37 payload is housed in the fairing sitting atop the second state and here you can see some footage of the X 37 be inside the faring after it was encapsulated as it's being moved to mate to the top of the second stage.

The X 37 is a little plain that is standing up right there, little plane, a space plane with this standing up right inside of that bearing.

We're also attempting a land landing today, 14 kilometers away from the launch site at Landing Zone one at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Landing Zone.

One is a concrete pad 100 yards across.

It's the length of a football field.

First successful landing at that pad was nearly two years ago, when we delivered 11 or Palm satellites to low earth orbit.

In total, we've had 15 successful landings, with the most recent occurring on August 24th of this year.

Now, as mentioned before, will conclude coverage of the primary mission following separation of the second stage, but will continue to cover the landing attempt as the first stage makes its way back towards landing zone.

One quick status update on nine.

The launch director conducted a go no go pole at T minus 78 minutes everything is proceeding smoothly.

Falcon nine is still loading.

Propellant fuel on both stages is complete.

The fuel, of course, being liquid kerosene or RP one stands for rocket propellant one and oxidizing, which is our very cold identifying liquid oxygen.

First stage is about complete with liquid oxygen low.

It's about 90 95% 2nd stage is about 80%.

The next major step is opening the pre valves sitting between the stage one propellant tanks and stage one engines in order to chill in the turbo pumps prior to ignition.

That's occurring right about now.

Ground winds were looking very calm and know we're watching some thick upper altitude cumulus clouds.

At the moment.

We're still a go for launch as Faras weather's concerned.

And now let's like a take a closer look at exactly what Topping nine is launching into order.

Wait.

The X 37 B orbital test vehicle, or OH TV is the nation's first unmanned space plane managed by the U.

S.

Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.

The Boeing built X 37 b is a highly flexible test bed platform for a variety of on orbit demonstrations.

This reusable system allows, hosted experiments to be returned, inspected, modified and flown again at dramatically reduce costs.

Next 37 test bed platform is unique because we can tail or our missions to specific user needs.

Return experiments back for post flight inspection Theo X 37 b is designed to fly in testing new technologies, reduce technical risk early and product design and balloting system performance.

It has completed four successful flights accumulating over 2000 days of on orbit demonstrations.

Vehicle provides experiments with power data, commanding thermal and attitude control.

The X 37 b has repeatedly achieved rapid experiment integration timelines proving itself to be responsive test platform leveraging the existing X 37.

The infrastructure on reusing the platform allows users to focus their investment on the experiment on developing new technologies.

Air Force Research Laboratory Hall Effect Thruster experiment highlights the value of this reusable space plane.

This experiment, flown on TV for validated performance enhancements that could only be tested in a space environment utilizing the X 37 be enabled.

This complex experiment to be flown in less than 24 months.

O T five continues to advance the performance and flexibility of the X 37 b as his face technology demonstrator.

Today's launch of OTV five is the first light of the next 37 B on a space X Falcon nine.

Ability to launch the X 37 b on multiple platforms will provide responsive and assured access to space following the O.

T.

V floor landing in Florida.

The program is consolidating launch recovery, refurbishment and experiment integration in repurposed orbiter processing facility.

This consolidation reduces processing time and positions the program to be even more responsive.

Reliability, reusability and responsiveness of the X 37 big will fundamentally change how we perform future space missions.

The X 37 be flying tomorrow's technologies today.

Now, if we successfully land today, this will be Space X is 16 recovered stage.

Next mission using a flight proven booster will be the EchoStar 105 GS 11 Mission scheduled to launch no earlier than October.

Booster for that mission.

Originally flew CRS 10 Mission, which delivered supplies to the International Space Station February of this year.

Reliability is one of the most important reusability Excuse me is one of the most important steps in bringing down launch costs and improving access to space in furtherance of space sixes.

Ultimate mission of getting to Mars.

As with all our missions, landing the booster continues to be a secondary objective.

And it's important to remember that our primary mission today is to get the X 37 bean into orbit around the earth.

Final status update.

Fuel is now fully loaded on the spacecraft.

Excuse me, I'm talking nine moving forwards.

Full internal power running on its own batteries, vehicle tanks.

They're fully pressed up currently working no issues.

Weather is go Rangers, go.

Let's listen into the last minutes of terminal accounts Stitch Thio Healey Return meant hold secure.

Straggler has ended.

Strong backs at 8.3 degrees.

Stage two TV.

See Motion nominal stage to lock secure.

Falcon nine is on internal bar.

He goes itself one granddad's clothes off stage one and stage you currently obscured.

Guest Close ups is complete.

A test is ready for launch.

Falcon nine doesn't start up stage.

One instance to you Present for flight L D is go for lunch.

T minus 30 seconds.

Stage one present to lift off pressures Welcome.

Second standby per terminal count 987 six, five, four, three, two one station proportion is no our moment nominal.

We've had successful lift off of the Falcon.

Nine.

Look closely.

We're about to move through supersonic.

You may actually see the vapor cone forms of shock wave.

Otherwise, we're coming up shortly on Max Q, which is maximum aerodynamic pressure point of which Falcon nine is pushing hardest against the atmosphere.

There you heard the back engine chill, which prepares the second stage engine ignition.

Main engine cutoff is coming up in a about 40 seconds from now.

Shortly followed by both stage separation and then second engines.

Start will be concluding coverage of the primary mission that point second stage call ups will be before watch for a main engine cut off.

Coming up shortly.

Now, we've had successful second stage separation and ignition.

I noticed the vehicle is currently the first stage is currently doing a fast flip maneuver and a boost back burn fast flip is to get it headed back towards landing zone one as quickly as possible, and the boost Mack Burns to get it in the right orientation.

Back in the boost, Blackburn actually pushes it back towards landing zone.

We got three engines burning at the moment that we're in the outer reaches of the atmosphere so you can't actually see any visible flame.

But you'll notice indications that the engines are on just about the first stage there.

In this show.

Boost back burn has now ended.

I noticed that the vehicle was still climbing.

There.

You saw the griffins just opened up.

Thes griffins are recently moved to being made out of titanium, which is a much higher temperature material than aluminum.

That's better able to stand the high temperatures of re entry.

You'll also notice the brief spurts of what appear to be white smoke.

Those are our nitrogen thrusters knows control the orientation of the vehicle when Griffin's aren't able to.

Because there's no atmosphere questions, of course.

Fire atmosphere for stage continuing its parabolic arc heading towards landing zone one starting to descend back towards Earth.

We're still about a minute and 1/2 or so away from the reentry burn.

Just gonna slow the vehicle down Thio only a couple times speed of sound before re entering reentry burn coming up in about one minute.

As you can see, the speed of the first stage is still rapidly increasing reentry burn is gonna slow back, back down in order to keep those aerodynamic forces upon reentry.

At a minimum, those cold gas thrusters still adjusting the attitude of the first station entry started.

There's the reentry burn.

This will last for another 15 seconds or so.

Rapidly decreasing the entering belongs successful.

Conclusion of the reentry Burn notice that's grounds underneath Falcon nine Next heading toward landing zone one.

We're about to slow back down through the speed of sounds.

You noticed those vibrations as that is coming up.

Stage one, Stage one, Trans sonic coming up in just a few seconds.

Now we're going to begin the landing burns that will slow the vehicle down for a gentle touchdown plan and started.

This is a single engine burn which allows for more control.

There you can see it on the screen on your right.

They're descending through the clouds headed towards a concrete pad on their way.

Had it you could see the landing likes deployed.

That's Falcon nine, standing proud at landing Zone one.

At that point, at this point, with a successful landing in the first stage will be ending.

Today's Webcast is a very smooth countdown.

Everything proceeded.

Nominally weather was looking potentially a bit tricky with those clowns, but ended up being a go smooth first stage is sent smooth second stage separation and starts on then that beautiful landing that you just saw.

So we'd like to thank the air course for today's mission and support the range for also providing support and t you for tuning in.

If you'd like to join us at Space X, you can check us out at space six dot com slash careers.

Otherwise, look for updates on the next mission on our social platforms and on our website.

Thank you again for joining and see you next time.