Tuesday, May 10, 2016

U.S. Air Force's Secret X-37B Space Plane Is Nearing 1 Year In Orbit

An Air Force X-37B robotic space plane is shown after it has landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The fourth mission of the program is now underway and nearing a year in Earth orbit. Credit: USAF/Boeing

Space.com: Mystery Mission: Air Force's X-37B Space Plane Nears 1 Year in Orbit

The U.S. military's uncrewed X-37B space plane is nearing one year in orbit on its latest secret mission.

The robotic space plane launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on May 20, 2015, kicking off the X-37B program's fourth flight. This mission, dubbed OTV-4 (short for Orbital Test Vehicle-4), remains a clandestine affair.

"I can confirm the fourth OTV mission is approaching one year on orbit," Air Force spokeswoman Capt. Annmarie Annicelli said in response to Space.com's inquiry about the X-37B's activities.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: You have to wonder .... what is it doing. IN the meantime, DARPA is preparing the next generation of space shuttles .... DARPA Prepares to Build the Next Space Shuttle (Motley Fool).

1 comment:

Jac said...

A shuttle for doing what, in a military thinking? 10 deliveries in 10 days mean a huge space activity... for what? I am 100% sure Darpa knows what it is doing, I am just eager to know it too!