US Military's Secretive X-37B Space Plane Set for Seventh Mission
For the first time, the mission will be launched on SpaceX's powerful Falcon Heavy rocket, potentially reaching a much higher orbit.
- The US military is preparing to launch its secretive X-37B space plane on a seventh mission in orbit, with the launch scheduled for 8:14pm Eastern.
- For the first time, the X-37B will be launched on SpaceX's powerful Falcon Heavy rocket, leading to speculation that the mission will be in a much higher orbit.
- The X-37B will conduct various tests, including 'experimenting with space domain awareness technologies and investigating the radiation effects to NASA materials,' according to the Space Force.
- The X-37B has been a source of intrigue within the space community due to the mysterious nature of its activities in low Earth orbit.
- The X-37B has already logged 3,774 days in orbit over six flights, with each mission getting progressively longer.