The US Space Force has released an image taken from its mysterious X-37B space plane in orbit around the Earth.
Since 2010, when the first X-37B spacecraft was launched, the Earth has been orbited by the top secret craft for over 4,000 days, spread across seven missions. The latest mission launched in December 2023, and has seen the spacecraft orbit high above the Earth for over a year.
While the ultimate purpose of the plane and its mission remain classified, the Space Force has revealed a few details about its activity, as well as releasing a photograph. In October 2024, Space Force announced that the spaceplane would be attempting a first-of-its-kind maneuver while in high-Earth orbit (HEO) in order to alter its orbit as well as safely dispose of components in order to comply with space debris mitigation agreements.
“The use of the aerobraking maneuver- a series of passes using the drag of Earth’s atmosphere- enables the spacecraft to change orbits while expending minimal fuel,” Space Force explained in a statement. “Once the aerobrake maneuver is complete, the X-37B will resume its test and experimentation objectives until they are accomplished, at which time the vehicle will de-orbit and execute a safe return as it has during its six previous missions.”
In an update on X on February 21, Space Force posted a photo showing a portion of the plane in orbit, as well as a reasonable view of the Earth.
“An X-37B onboard camera, used to ensure the health and safety of the vehicle, captures an image of Earth while conducting experiments in HEO in 2024,” Space Force wrote of the photo. “The X-37B executed a series of first-of-kind maneuvers, called aerobraking, to safely change its orbit using minimal fuel.”
The X-37B space plane in high-Earth orbit.
Image credit: Space Force
The mission objectives of the space plane – similar in design to NASA’s space shuttles – have remained a closely guarded secret. The Air Force is tight-lipped about the plane, leaving people to speculate it’s doing anything from putting spy satellites into orbit to testing out an EmDrive in space.
When the craft launched, conspiracy theorists suggested it could be a “space bomber“, a full seven years before Trump even created Space Force. The theory was quickly quashed by experts, who pointed out how changing a spacecraft’s orbital plane requires a lot of thrust that would eat up its limited fuel supply extremely quickly. Essentially it would be useless at hitting any targets that didn’t happen to already be on its flight path.
The Air Force’s official explanation doesn’t give away too much.
“The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, is an experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the US Air Force,” the Air Force said in one statement.
“The primary objectives of the X-37B are twofold; reusable spacecraft technologies for America’s future in space and operating experiments which can be returned to, and examined, on Earth. Technologies being tested in the program include advanced guidance, navigation and control, thermal protection systems, avionics, high temperature structures and seals, conformal reusable insulation, lightweight electromechanical flight systems, advanced propulsion systems, advanced materials and autonomous orbital flight, reentry and landing.”
For now, you’ll either have to accept the official explanation, or just get comfortable with the knowledge that there’s a mysterious space plane flying high above our heads, and only the US military knows why.
