The US Space Force has released the first photographs of Earth taken by the mysterious X-37B spaceplane used for secret missions. The footage was captured during the vehicle’s seventh mission (OTV-7), which began in December 2023 and is still ongoing. Here are the details
First Earth photo taken by US-owned X-37B spaceplane
For those of you who don’t know, the X-37B is a vehicle developed by the US Air Force and Space Force for experimental hypersonic and unmanned space missions. It was first launched in 2010 and has since completed six successful missions. These include:
- Mission OTV-5: 780 days in orbit.
- OTV-6 Mission: 908 days, breaking its own record.
- OTV-7 Mission: Currently underway and return date unknown.
Although the X-37B’s main mission has not been officially announced, it is estimated to be used in areas such as military intelligence, satellite systems testing and space exploration. The X-37B is said to be one of the most advanced systems supporting unmanned and long-duration space missions. In fact, the project is seen as an important technology that strengthens the US’s hand in secret military space operations.
What do you think about this? What role do you think unmanned spacecraft like the X-37B will play in military and scientific exploration in the future? What do you think are the strategic reasons behind the US keeping this project secret for so long? You can write your opinions in the comments section below…
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