USAF'S Shadowy X-37B Spaceplane Heads Back to Orbit

摘要

The X-37B spaceplane embarked on its sixth mission from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on May 17. The secretive, unmanned orbital test vehicle, which will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas Vrocket, is notching new milestones as it matures. Its fifth mission was its longest to date, ending Oct. 27, 2019, after 780 days on orbit. Now, it will take a new approach to bringing experiments to space. "This sixth mission is a big step for the X-37B program," said Randy Walden, who runs the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. "This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments. The incorporation of a service module on this mission enables us to continue to expand the capabilities of the spacecraft and host more experiments than any of the previous missions."