The US is preparing for the new launch of the X-37B unmanned spacecraft. It will go into space on August 21.
Experiments in orbit
The X-37B was developed by Boeing on behalf of the US Air Force. It is 8.9 m long, 2.9 m high, and has a wingspan of 4.5 m. The spacecraft is launched into orbit by a rocket and lands like an airplane when it returns to Earth. The spaceplane has a takeoff weight of 5 tons and is equipped with a cargo compartment that can hold up to 900 kg of payload. It can be represented by sub-satellites, as well as instruments and materials that are then returned to Earth.
A total of two such spacecraft were built, making seven long-duration flights into space since 2010. In total, they spent 4,208 days in Earth orbit. The last flight of the X-37B ended on March 7, 2025.
In the past, X-37B missions were classified. However, in recent years, the US military has begun to share some information about the nature of its missions. According to official information, the X-37B is mainly used to test experimental technologies and study the effects of the space environment on various materials. In particular, the following were tested during previous flights:
- the ability to change the orbit of the spacecraft using aerodynamic braking maneuvers;
- space environment awareness technologies;
- technology for using solar energy and transferring it to Earth.
An experiment was also conducted to study the effects of cosmic radiation on plant seeds. This information will help in planning long-term space missions to the Moon and beyond.
Eighth flight of the X-37B
The eighth launch of the X-37B is scheduled for August 21. A Falcon 9 rocket will be used to launch the spacecraft into orbit.
According to a statement by the US Space Force, the X-37B will have two main tasks during its eighth mission. The first of these is a demonstration of high-bandwidth inter-satellite laser communication technology. The device will need to establish communication with commercial satellite constellations in low Earth orbit.
The second task of the flight is to test advanced space navigation technology using the highest-performance quantum inertial sensor. This device is designed to accurately determine the position and movement of the vehicle without the need for external systems such as GPS.
According to Spaceforce.mil
