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X-37B

  • OTV-7 lifting off
    Military
    US Space Force's not-so-secret X-37B spaceplane roars into orbit
    The US Space Force's X-37B spaceplane has launched successfully on its multi-year orbital mission. At 8:07 pm EST, the unmanned vehicle set atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy booster lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
  • THe X-37B returning from a previous mission
    Military
    Launch date set for "secret" X-37B spaceplane mission
    The US Space Force has announced the launch date of its not-so-secret top secret spaceplane. The X-37B Mission 7 will lift off from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida on December 7 atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time.
  • The Photovoltaic Radio-frequency Antenna Module (PRAM) that is designed to convert sunlight into microwaves for power transmission, with a 12-inch ruler for scale
    Space
    X-37B spaceplane experiment to test tech for beaming solar power to Earth
    When the US Air Force's X-37B autonomous spaceplane launched into orbit for the sixth time this week, it carried an experiment to explore the potential for beaming solar energy from space to Earth using microwaves.
  • The Boeing-built X-37B spaceplane successfully launched Sunday from Cape Canaveral
    Space
    X-37B spaceplane launched for sixth secretive mission
    The US Air Force's not-so-secret spaceplane has successfully launched on its sixth mission, OTV-6 (USSF 7). On May 17, 2020, at 13:14 GMT, the unmanned, autonomous spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral atop a specially modified Atlas V 501 rocket.
  • Mission six for the X-37B is slated to launch next Sunday May 16 from Cape Canaveral
    Space
    US prepares secretive X-37B space plane for mission six
    A secretive space plane developed by the US Air Force is being readied for another outing. Scheduled for May 16, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle’s sixth mission will see a new emphasis placed on onboard experiments.
  • The X-37B OTV is an experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the US Air Force
    Space
    X-37B secret spaceplane returns after record-breaking flight
    The USAF's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 5 has ended in a surprise pre-dawn landing after a record-breaking 780-day flight. Like the previous four missions, the exact purpose of the highly-classified unmanned spaceplane's flight was a secret, though the Air Force says that its general goals were "risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies," as well as the deployment of some small satellites.
  • Today's launch was the fifth OTV mission and the first launched by SpaceX
    Space
    SpaceX launches secret spaceplane
    SpaceX entered the world of classified space flights this Thursday, as it launched the Orbital Test Vehicle 5 (OTV-5) mission at 10:00 am EDT atop a Falcon 9 booster from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying the secret US Air Force X-37B spaceplane.
  • The X-37B has flown four times before
    Space
    SpaceX to launch secret US spaceplane next week
    The US Air Force's not-so-secret spaceplane is getting a new ride this month, when the fifth X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-5) lifts off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
  • OTV-4 landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida after spending 718 days in orbit
    Aircraft
    Secret US spaceplane returns to Earth after record flight
    The US Air Force's not-so-secret secret spaceplane X-37B set a new orbital endurance record for a reusable unmanned spacecraft as it set down today at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida after spending 718 days in orbit.
  • The Hall thrusters that the X-37B will carry on its next mission are ion engines similar to the one on the Dawn deep space probe (Photo: US Air Force)
    Space
    Hall ion thrusters to fly on X-37B spaceplane
    When the unmanned X-37B mission lifts off from Cape Canaveral AFB on May 20, it will be carrying a Hall thruster as part of an experiment to improve the design for use on Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications spacecraft.
  • The OTV-3 mission set a new record for time spent in orbit by a reusable spacecraft (Image: Boeing)
    Space
    Top secret X-37B spaceplane breaks orbital endurance record
    A secret mission came to a public end as the US Air Force’s top secret X-37B spaceplane landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The unmanned reusable spacecraft touched down on the runway like a conventional aircraft this morning at 9:24 am EDT after a record-breaking 674 days in orbit.
  • Technicians inspecting the X-37B after a 2010 landing (Image: US Air Force)
    Space
    US Air Force awaiting landing of X-37B after top-secret space mission
    The US Air Force’s reusable unmanned spacecraft, the X-37B, is scheduled to return to Earth this week. Although the exact day and time remains undetermined, preparations are underway at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in anticipation of the mini-shuttle's arrival.