Top-secret X-37B space plane returns to Earth in dead of night after mysterious 434-day mission, US military reveals – Livescience.com
🔍 Summary:
The U.S. Space Force’s secretive X-37B space plane has successfully completed a 434-day mission in orbit, marking a significant advancement in reusable space technology. Launched on December 29, 2023, from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, the uncrewed spacecraft conducted various experiments, including those related to space radiation and space domain awareness technology, though specific details remain classified. A notable achievement of this mission, dubbed Mission 7, was the execution of several aerobraking maneuvers, which use atmospheric drag to adjust the spacecraft’s orbit efficiently, reducing the need for fuel. The X-37B, developed by Boeing and initially a NASA project before being transferred to the military in 2004, aims to enhance reusable spacecraft capabilities. It landed back at Vandenberg in the early hours of March 7, 2025, continuing to push the boundaries of what autonomous space planes can accomplish in orbit.
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