Secretive Spacecraft Pushes Technological Boundaries with Aerobraking Milestone

In a groundbreaking achievement, the US Space Force's enigmatic X-37B space plane has returned to Earth after a record-breaking 434-day mission in orbit. The highly classified spacecraft landed safely at California's Vandenberg Space Force Base last Friday (March 7) at 2:22 am local time, marking the successful completion of its seventh mission.

"The US Space Force landed the X-37B at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, to exercise its rapid ability to launch and recover its systems across multiple sites," the USSF statement confirmed. Notably, this mission was the first launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket, taking the spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit.

Although details surrounding the classified mission remain closely guarded, Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman highlighted the mission's success in demonstrating a crucial aerobraking manoeuvre—a technique involving repeated atmospheric passes to modify the spacecraft's orbit while conserving fuel.

"Mission 7 broke new ground by showcasing the X-37B's ability to flexibly accomplish its test and experimentation objectives across orbital regimes," remarked General Saltzman. After aerobraking to a Low Earth Orbit and completing its objectives, the X-37B successfully deorbited and landed with precision.

What is the X-37B?

Operated by the Space Force's Rapid Capabilities Office, the 29-foot-long X-37B boasts a 15-foot wingspan and is designed to test cutting-edge technologies, including propulsion systems, thermal protection mechanisms, and autonomous reentry capabilities.

Initially developed under NASA in 1999 before being transferred to the Department of Defense, the X-37B program has since completed seven missions, with each successive flight extending its duration in orbit. Cumulatively, the spacecraft has spent over 4,000 days in space, solidifying its role in advancing US space dominance and innovation.