The U.S. Air Force's robotic X-37B space plane is a miniature space shuttle capable of long, classified missions in orbit. See how the X-37B space plane works in this Space.com infographic. Credit: By Karl Tate, Infographics Artist
Posted on 10/13/2014 12:30:57 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The robotic X-37B space plane, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, will land at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where Air Force officials are gearing up for its return. As of today (Oct. 12), the X-37B mini-shuttle has been in orbit since December 2012 and racked up a record-shattering 671 days in space.
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The Air Force has two X-37B space planes in its fleet and has been flying them on secret missions since 2010. But the exact purpose of those flights have been shrouded in secrecy. The mission in orbit now, called Orbital Test Vehicle 3 (OTV-3), launched on Dec. 11, 2012 aboard an Atlas 5 rocket.
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Boeing's Phantom Works division built the X-37B mini-shuttles. The spacecraft are able to stay in orbit for months by using a solar array to generate power.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
SoCal ping
How many illegal aliens can it carry?
No truth to rumour that craft contains the eGOP’s last best candidate for 2016.
Have you seem MiTT lately? Lol
None. Now stop asking.
It was probably trying to find some man made Global Warming somewhere; in accordance with the dictates from the Obama Regime's new homosexual military.
Secret missions shrouded in secrecy. Who’d’a’ thunk?
This is the only part of the ‘black’ budget world that is visible to the public. Just imagine what is not.
On a happier note: it is good to see that the cargoes from Mars and the Saturn moon system finally arrived.
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