SpaceX to Launch US Military’s Ultra-Secretive X-37B Spaceplane in Longest-Ever Flight

Introduction

Elon Musk's SpaceX is collaborating with the US Space Force to launch the X-37B spaceplane, which is known for its secretive cargo and long-duration flights in orbit. This upcoming mission is expected to be the longest flight for the X-37B, and it will be launched atop SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket.

US Space Force's Collaboration with SpaceX

The US Space Force has partnered with SpaceX to launch its X-37B spaceplane on Sunday. This collaboration allows the Space Force to utilize SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket for this mission, indicating that the spaceplane will reach higher altitudes than ever before.

Overview of the X-37B Spaceplane

The X-37B spaceplane, operated by the US Space Force, is a pilotless vehicle designed for long-duration missions. It can stay in orbit for hundreds of days at a time and carries both civilian and military experiments. The spaceplane launches vertically on top of rockets and lands on a runway by gliding back to Earth.

Launch Date and Location

The X-37B spaceplane is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, December 10th. The launch is expected to take place at approximately 8:14 p.m. ET.

The Secrecy Surrounding X-37B Missions

X-37B missions are known for their secrecy, leading to speculation about their potential use for military surveillance. The upcoming mission is expected to be longer and reach higher altitudes than its previous mission, which lasted 908 days in orbit.

The History of the X-37B Program

Originally initiated by NASA, the X-37B program became classified when it was taken over by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 2004. Since 2020, the program has been under the control of the US Space Force, the government's space-defense branch of the military.

New Orbital Regimes and Falcon Heavy Rocket

The US Space Force has stated that the X-37B will be "operating in new orbital regimes" during this mission. Additionally, this will be the first time the spaceplane will ride to space on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. Falcon Heavy is known as the world's second most powerful operational rocket, offering three times more lift than the Falcon 9 and Atlas 5 rockets previously used for X-37B missions.

Goals of the Mission

The upcoming X-37B mission, known as OTV-7, will carry groundbreaking experiments aimed at enhancing current and future space operations. These experiments include studying the effects of long-term cosmic radiation exposure on seeds and testing future space domain awareness technologies. The exact details of the cargo related to space system detection and monitoring were not disclosed.

Impressive Flight Time and Previous Missions

If the mission goes as planned, it will add to the X-37B's already impressive flight time. Since its first launch in April 2010, the X-37B has spent over 3,770 days in space. Developed in partnership with Boeing, there are currently two known X-37B spaceplanes in operation.

Conclusion

The collaboration between the US Space Force and SpaceX for the upcoming X-37B mission marks an important milestone in the field of space exploration. With the use of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, the X-37B is expected to achieve its longest-ever flight duration and reach unprecedented altitudes. The experiments conducted during this mission will contribute to the advancement of space operations and enhance the United States' space domain awareness capabilities.—————————————————————————————————————————————
By: mguenot@businessinsider.com (Marianne Guenot)
Title: SpaceX to Launch US Military’s Ultra-Secretive X-37B Spaceplane in Longest-Ever Flight
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-launch-space-force-secretive-plane-x-37b-2023-12
Published Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2023 11:47:43 +0000