US Space Force's mysterious X-37B mini-shuttle on 'groundbreaking' mission above Earth

The US Space Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, an unmanned space plane built by Boeing's Phantom Works division, remains shrouded in mystery. It's believed to be a testing ground for next-gen sensor tech that could target enemy satellites during an orbital conflict.

This week, the Space Force [USSF] revealed that the X-37B will start performing a series of "novel manoeuvres" known as aerobraking. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall stated: "This novel and efficient series of manoeuvres demonstrates the Space Force's commitment to achieving groundbreaking innovation as it conducts national security missions in space."

Former Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson explained in 2019 that when the X-37B is in an elliptical orbit, it could potentially use the drag from Earth's upper atmosphere to change its orbit – making the craft hard to track and enabling covert operations.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

There have been countless theories about the exact purpose of the 30-foot mini-shuttle. A 2010 article in Space Daily suggested that the X-37B could serve as a spy satellite or deliver weapons from space.

The Pentagon denied these claims, without providing any additional information about the craft's exact purpose, reports .

One of the distinctive features of the X37 spacecraft, which follows the larger Space Shuttle's legacy, is its ability to stay in orbit for prolonged periods. The operational X-37Bs have cumulatively clocked up a staggering 3,774.4 days – over a decade – across just six missions.

READ MORE:

The upcoming aerobraking test could, if successful, revolutionise the craft's ability to quickly change orbits. This would allow the US military to swiftly position it above any location on Earth.

There had been rumours that the X37 might be used to launch orbital bombardments, but Mark Lewis, ex-chief scientist for the Air Force, and now at the University of Maryland, dismissed them at the time. He pointed out that such rapid changes of orbit would use prohibitive amounts of fuel– an issue potentially solved by aerobraking.

The Space Force has clarified, "The use of the aerobraking manoeuvre – a series of passes using the drag of Earth's atmosphere – enables the spacecraft to change orbits while expending minimal fuel."

They added, "Once the aerobrake manoeuvre 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."