A secretive American spacecraft is about to attempt an unprecedented flight maneuver on Earth.
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-7) is an experimental spaceplane operated by the United States Space Force (USSF).
Little has been revealed about the vehicle's purpose, but an official painting of the X-37B released last year depicts a futuristic vehicle capable of interfering with enemy satellite positioning in order to neutralize friendly satellites. was.
The USSF has now announced that the X-37B will begin performing a series of “novel maneuvers” called aerobraking.
It shows a number of paths that take advantage of the resistance of the Earth's atmosphere to change its orbit around the Earth while minimizing fuel consumption.
If successful, the X-37B will be able to safely dispose of its service module components in accordance with accepted standards for space debris mitigation.
Since December 2023, the USSF, with support from the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, has conducted radiation effects experiments and tested space domain awareness technologies in “highly elliptical orbits.”
Once the aerodynamic braking maneuver is complete, the X-37B will “resume testing and experimentation until the objective is achieved,” at which point it will deorbit and return safely, as it has done in its previous six missions. USSF says.
“This series of novel and efficient operations demonstrates the Space Force's commitment to achieving breakthrough innovations in accomplishing national security missions in space,” said Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall. Ta.
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman praised the team's efforts. “This first exercise with the X-37B is a critical milestone for the U.S. Space Force as we seek to expand our suitability and capabilities in this challenging domain. This success is a testament to our team's dedication and perseverance.”
