The US military’s experimental X-37B space plane is back on Earth, having completed a mysterious 908-day mission. While we’ll probably never know everything the autonomous spacecraft got up to while it was in space, it did it long enough to set a new record for time spent in orbit. Previously, the X-37B’s record was a measly 719 days in orbit.
The uncrewed vessel launched more than two and a half years ago aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. This was the first mission for the Boeing-built X-37B with a service module attached, which allowed it to carry more experiments and satellites into orbit. After launching with rocket assistance, the X-37B maneuvers in orbit solo and then lands on a runway like an airplane — similar to the dearly departed Space Shuttle.
While this was only the sixth mission for the Air Force’s X-37B, also known as the orbital test vehicle (OTV), it has surpassed the flight time for any other reusable spacecraft with over 1.3 billion orbital miles and 3,774 days in space. The X-37B landed safely in the early morning hours of Nov. 12, marking the end of its record-setting mission. However, we only know part of what it did during those 908 days.
The service module, which the OTV ditched in orbit before landing, allowed the space plane to bring several experiments and satellites into orbit. It carried a solar power experiment designed by the Naval Research Lab, NASA’s Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space (METIS-2) experiment, and the FalconSat-8 satellite developed by the Air Force Academy and Air Force Research Laboratory. It also hosted a NASA experiment to study the effects of spaceflight on seeds.
The X-37B with service module attached inside launch faring prior to launch in 2020.
Of course, it doesn’t take 908 days to drop off a few satellites — the government is always cagey about discussing the full scope of the X-37B’s missions. Astronomers have confirmed that the space plane periodically releases satellites that have not been registered with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, making them harder to track. A former secretary of the Air Force has also confirmed the X-37B was designed to use close atmospheric passes to alter its orbit, making it harder to track and giving cover to engage in clandestine activities.
There are no public plans for another X-37B launch right now, but it’s only a matter of time. The Air Force typically launches an X-37B mission every few years, and each one has lasted longer than the last.
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