US Air Force's Mysterious X-37B Space Plane Passes 500 Days in Orbit

Space.com ^ | Aril 24, 2014 | Mike Wall, Senior Writer

[lbryce]

An unmanned military space plane has achieved a major longevity milestone, zipping around Earth for 500 days on a clandestine mission for the United States government.

The U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane launched on its third and latest mission on Dec. 11, 2012. As of today (April 24), the vehicle has been aloft for 500 days — far longer than its officially stated maximum orbital lifetime of 270 days.

"Clearly, and understandably, the Air Force initially set the expected parameters [of the X-37B] conservatively, not really knowing what it could do until it was tested — which is what they are doing now," said Joan Johnson-Freese, professor of national security affairs at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. [Photos: The X-37B Space Plane's 3rd Mystery Mission]

"Personally, I think it's commendable that they are pushing it to the extent that they appear to be," Johnson-Freese told Space.com via email. "That's the only way to really know what it can do."

[lbryce]

An X-37B robotic space plane sits on the Vandenberg Air Force base runway during post-landing operations on Dec. 3, 2010. Personnel in self-contained protective atmospheric suits conduct initial checks on the robot space vehicle after its landing.

Video:US Air Force's Mysterious X-37B Space Plane
A tiny robotic space shuttle the reusable X-37B looks like NASA's now-retired space shuttle, only much smaller. The robotic space plane is 29 feet (8.8 meters) long by 9.5 feet (2.9 m) tall with a wingspan of nearly 15 feet (4.6 m). Its payload bay is the size of a pickup truck bed. (The space shuttle's payload bay, by comparison, could fit two entire X-37Bs inside.)

That nobody knows a damm about what the thing is or does will only serve to be a good thing in regards to our enemies.

[lbryce]

You might find this interesting for your legion of fans.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Those can’t be real space suits. They look even worse than the ones on Star Trek.

[JRandomFreeper]

USAF has always had crappy fashion sense in uniforms.

/johnny

[apoxonu]

Leonard Nimoy revealed that those “space suits” were made from shower curtains.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Probably the hydrazine made them do it.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Spock obviously didn’t know what shower curtains were really for, if you take my meaning.

[morphing libertarian]

Let’s ask the Chinese military. They’ll tell us all about it.

[rey]

Why don’t they cancel this thing and keep the A10 or develop the next A10?

[corkoman]

Nom Nom Nom

[andyk]

not really knowing what it could do until it was tested — which is what they are doing now,

Either that, or it's space junk.

[lbryce]

I hadn’t noticed (too busy making sure the post was done right) but I definitely agree. They seem almost laughable, the comparison to Star Trek is right on.

[Red Badger]

[lbryce]

LOL. Rod Serling would be proud. :-)

[Red Badger]

NOT AS FUNNY AS THIS ONE..................

[miliantnutcase]

lmao.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Maybe not dinner date appropriate but costume party, yes.

[Secret Agent Man]

I can tell my space suit is closed, because yellow and blue make green! Thanks Ziploc!

[SunkenCiv]

I think that Zero cancelled the program by decree so it will stay right where it is; its mission is classified, but it was probably intended to test-bed orbital space asset defense and attrition. Zero would be against anything that enhances national defense. Thanks l.

[tet68]

I wonder what altitude it was orbiting?
Could it have been a LEO and it was able to boost
itself up as the orbit decayed, allowing longer
closer observation of earth?

At least some security is being held, anyway.