Historical sharing from the US Space Force: Earth photo taken by secret aircraft

The U.S. Space Force has shared the first photos of Earth taken by the mysterious X-37B spaceplane used for secret missions with the public. The images were recorded during the vehicle’s seventh mission (OTV-7), which started in December 2023 and is still ongoing. The image, released on February 20, was taken while the spaceplane was cruising over Africa. SECRET MISSION HISTORICAL PHOTO According to Space.com, the X-37B was launched on its seventh mission by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on December 28, 2023. According to the U.S. Space Force’s statement, this mission aims to test the reusable spaceplane in new orbital regimes, test space domain awareness technologies, and investigate the effects of radiation on materials provided by NASA. The spaceplane was previously known to operate in low Earth orbit, but this new image reveals that the X-37B is operating much farther from Earth. Considering the Falcon Heavy’s capacity to carry payloads up to 35 thousand kilometers, it is thought that the X-37B has reached geosynchronous orbit this time. The Space Force and manufacturer Boeing announced that the X-37B tested a new technique called the “aerobraking maneuver.” This maneuver allows the spacecraft to change its orbit by minimizing fuel consumption by taking advantage of friction in the Earth’s atmosphere. The Space Force’s statement said, “The X-37B captured an impressive image of the Earth while conducting experiments in a highly elliptical orbit in 2024. In this mission, the spacecraft tested aerobraking techniques to safely change its orbit while burning minimal fuel.” THE FUTURE OF THE X-37B AND THE SPACE RACE The U.S. Space Force generally keeps the operational details of the X-37B secret. However, it is known that technologies such as solar energy beaming from space, thermal protection systems, and autonomous flight capabilities have been tested to date. It is not yet known when the space plane, which remained in orbit for a record-breaking 908 days on its sixth mission, which was completed in 2022, will complete its seventh flight. Meanwhile, China is also developing its own reusable space plane. The Chinese spacecraft launched on its third mission just two weeks before the last launch of the X-37B. This development signals a new global competition in space exploration.