US Air Force’s X-27B succeeded in returning to Earth after spending 780 incredible days in orbit. The space plane set a record for the most extended mission in the unknown military test project’s history. X-37B is an uncrewed plane, which resembles a significantly small space shuttle. The project involved in-orbit tests which brought back to Earth some results ready for a closer examination. The fact that this mission was kept a secret, we couldn’t find out more details about the investigation, final results, opinions, and more. Air Force, however, explained in a brief that their mission “performs risk reduction, experimentation, and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies.”
Moreover, X-37B is the fifth space plane from its series to be launched into an orbit mission. Each flight is said to be longer than its predecessor. Brig. Gen. Doug Schiess came up with other details that offer us better insights. He stated, “Our team has been preparing for this event, and I am extremely proud to see their hard work and dedication culminate in today’s safe and successful landing of the X-37B.”
The space vehicle’s mission was also mentioned in an official press in which Air Force said that all tests’ results were examined in the Air Force Reseach Laboratory, where “warfighting technologies” for space, cyberspace, and air were developed. Also, the laser weapons might end mounted onto aircraft.
Air Force’s Space Plane Development So Far
Air Force is highly known for its method of keeping hidden and very secret all the established mission. Among time, this fact caused a significant rate of speculations, rumors, from spying actions to performing tests on space weapons.
X-37B, however, is a craft made to test the latest navigation technologies, and new ways to reenter Earth’s atmosphere and land securely. The space vehicle is almost 29 feet long and 9.5 feet high, and it comes with a wingspan of approximately 15 feet.
