{"id":22086,"date":"2022-11-16T23:39:22","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T15:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/space-forces-top-secret-spaceplane-returns-from-orbit-after-a-908-day-mission\/"},"modified":"2022-11-16T23:39:22","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T15:39:22","slug":"space-forces-top-secret-spaceplane-returns-from-orbit-after-a-908-day-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/space-forces-top-secret-spaceplane-returns-from-orbit-after-a-908-day-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"Space Force\u2019s top secret spaceplane returns from orbit after a 908-day mission"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Launched in May 2020, the X37 is an uncrewed spaceplane that can be launched on Atlas V and Falcon 9 rockets for long-duration tests in space. This was the X37\u2019s sixth mission (OTV-6 or USSF-6) and its longest by far. In total, it spent 908 days in orbit, passing its previous flight record by 128 days.<\/p>\n

The purpose of the X37-B, which was built and is maintained by Boeing, is to do long tests in space and expose hardware to the elements. The ability to open bay doors and deploy payloads, let them sit outside the vehicle and be exposed to space directly, and then return them for evaluation is beneficial.<\/p>\n

OTV-6 was a mission of firsts for X37-B<\/h2>\n

This was the X37-B\u2019s first mission for the then-newly created US Space Force. However, you will still find US Air Force insignia on the spaceplane. That must have been too much to change in less than a year, and that might stay as it is still considered an asset of the Air Force while the Space Force handles launch, on-orbit operations, and landing (so I guess the Air Force just pays for it?).<\/p>\n

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