The records continue to fall for the US Space Force’s X-37B robotic spaceplane.
As of today (July 7th) is the X-37B has been in Earth orbit for 781 days, beating its previous record of 780. The reusable vehicle, designed and built by Boeing, is currently flying on its sixth mission, known as Orbital Test Vehicle-6 or OTV-6 started on May 17, 2020.
Boeing space announced the milestone today (opens in new tab) wrote on Twitter that the spaceplane “set another endurance record — as it has on every mission since it was first launched in 2010,” and also thanked the US Air Force, who US Space Forcesand other X-37B team members.
Related: The US Space Force’s Secret Spaceplane X-37B: 10 Surprising Facts
781 days and more! The world’s only reusable spaceplane, #X37B, has set another endurance record – as it has on every mission since its first launch in 2010. Congratulations to the @USAirForce, @SpaceForceDOD and all our teammates, the X-37B! #SemperSupra pic.twitter.com/zzZAOG0Wa5July 7, 2022
The X-37B’s current mission includes several classified payloads, but some of its onboard experiments have been made public. One such experiment conducted last year tested that of the US Naval Research Laboratory Photovoltaic high frequency antenna moduleor PRAM, a small device the size of a pizza box that aims to convert solar energy into microwaves that can then be beamed back to Earth from orbit.
Other payloads launched on OTV-6 include those designed by the US Air Force Academy FalconSat-8 satellite (opens in new tab) itself carrying five experimental payloads, and two NASA experiments designed to test the effects of radiation on plant seeds and assess the effects of space on various materials.
The overall design of the X-37B is similar to that of the now-decommissioned NASA Space Shuttlealthough the X-37B is much smaller: the military spaceplane is 8.8 meters long and 2.9 meters high with a wingspan of almost 4.6 meters.
At launch, the X-37B weighs 11,000 pounds (4,990 kilograms). The X-37B is designed to operate at altitudes between 150 and 500 miles (240 to 805 kilometers). The vehicle features fully automated de-orbit and landing functions, as well as a fully electro-mechanical control system, eliminating the need for hydraulics. in one company data sheet (opens in new tab)Boeing calls the X-37B “one of the newest and most advanced reentry spacecraft in the world”.
While there are rumors or theories that the X-37B could be, or be used to, a proving ground for orbital weapons capture enemy satellitesExperts | doubt these claims, arguing that the aircraft was far too small and not maneuverable enough to be used for these roles. The spaceplane’s primary role is likely to test new sensor systems and other technologies in orbit, US military officials have long claimed.
While OTV-6 just set a new endurance record for the X-37B program, 781 days is a far cry from the spaceflight’s overall mark. For example, many earth observation satellites work for 10 or more years, as do NASA’s traveler 1 and the Voyager 2 spacecraft are still alive in interstellar space, nearly 45 years after launch.
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