U.S. Military Spaceplane X-37B to Perform Advanced Orbital Maneuver Tests

14th Oct 2024
U.S. Military Spaceplane X-37B to Perform Advanced Orbital Maneuver Tests

One of the US Space Force’s secretive spaceplanes, known as the X-37B is preparing to carry out new manoeuvres. The US Air Force’s plane is set to change orbit and safely dispose of components of its service module.

A secret US spaceplane changes its orbit in a “first-of-its-kind manoeuvre”

According to an official US Space Force announcement on 10 October, a Boeing experimental aircraft has begun performing a series of manoeuvres known as ‘aerodynamic braking’.

These manoeuvres involve repeatedly passing through the Earth’s upper atmosphere, using atmospheric drag to alter the vehicle’s orbit while saving fuel.

As General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, stated, – ‘This first-of-its-kind manoeuvre with the X-37B is a significant milestone for the United States Space Force as we seek to expand our capabilities and mission capabilities in this challenging area.’

X-37B spaceplane by Boeing
Credit: Boeing

What is the purpose of the X-37B manoeuvres?

The Space Force called the aerodynamic braking ‘a new space manoeuvre’ and said its purpose was to allow the X-37B to ‘safely dispose of its service module components, by recognised space debris mitigation standards’.

The disposable service module is mounted in the rear of the spacecraft and occupies an area roughly the size of a truck bed. It is used to deliver experimental payloads and scientific instruments into orbit.

At the end of the mission, the X-37B jettisons this module before reentering the atmosphere.

‘Once the aerodynamic braking manoeuvre is complete, X-37B will resume its tests and experiments until they are completed, at which point the craft will deorbit and perform a safe re-entry, as it has done on six previous missions,’ the Space Force said in a statement.

Space force X-37B
Credit: U.S. Air Force

What do we know about the mission?

The plane’s current mission began on 28 December 2023 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

For this mission, the unmanned X-37 carries modules to study the effects of radiation on NASA-provided plant seeds. The seed’s response to radiation could provide a basis for future manned missions in long-duration spaceflight.

In addition, the X-37B is also supposed to test new space domain awareness technologies to track objects moving through space.

What do we know about American secretive spaceplanes?

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is an experimental programme designed to demonstrate the technology of a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the US Air Force.

The Pentagon currently has two X-37Bs in service, both of which were built by Boeing. Each is just 29 feet (8.8 m) long and 9.6 feet (2.9 m) high, with a wingspan of about 15 feet (4.6 m).

The spaceplanes have solar panels to generate electricity and enough fuel to remain in orbit for many years. The longest X-37B flight to date lasted more than 908 days.

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