I really don't know much about this subject, but I just thought I would throw this out to see if any one else is interested or knowledgable about this.
Back in the fifties and early sixties the Pentagon, especially the Air Force, but also the Army and Navy, had their own fledgling space programs. When NASA was formed the military was told to conduct all it's space activities through NASA, and especially all manned space ventures came under the pervue of NASA. Officially the Air Force continued it's own manned space projects for a time, DynaSoar, Blue Gemini, MOL, but all these were eventualy canceled and NASA became the only operator of a manned program.
Now lets look at the budgets. NASA's annual budget is around 15 billion. The Pentagon's annual budget is around 200 billion, IIRC. The degree of secrecy surronding the expenditure of the military's budget is astounding, and understandable. It would be possible for the military to have continued a black space program, or at least space R&D, with a budget equal to or greater than NASA's, and hide it very easily within the normal expenditures.
So is it possible the Air Force, or other branches, have a secret space program? What evidence is there one way or the other?
There are strange things being seen around Air Force bases, maybe extremly advanced air craft being tested? If the X-15 could reach sub orbital space in 1962, who knows what might be possible today? What are the Big Black Deltas?
I am not talking about UFOs at Area 51, I'm talking about real black projects that might have capabilities that could qualify the vehicles as space craft. It sure looks to me like this is within the realm of the possible, at least as far as budgetary resources are concerned.
Any opinions?