The United States Space Force shared a new update on its X-37B spaceplane which has been exploring the Earth's orbit for around 10 months now, to make its way back to the planet and conclude its venture. This is the seventh overall flight of the spaceplane that Boeing designed and developed, as well as the fourth mission of the second-generation X-37B, set to return soon.
However, this return mission of the X-37B will not have the entire spaceplane intact when it lands soon on a runway, with some parts of the spacecraft disintegrating in its reentry burn, with Space Force claiming to do it safely.
US Space Force's X-37B Update Announces its Return to Earth
The US Space Force announced that it will soon attempt to perform the first-ever aerobraking maneuvers for the X-37B spaceplane as part of its return mission to the planet and finally end its mission. According to Space Force, this new aerobraking maneuver will allow the X-37B spacecraft to change its orbit as it prepares itself for re-entry and land on the surface.
Alongside this, Boeing's spacecraft will also detach its service module components during the aerobraking maneuver processes that it will leave behind in space, which Space Force says is "in accordance with recognized standards for space debris mitigation."
The X-37B will detach its service module before it commences its re-entry to the planet, focusing on a new key focus for mobility, adopting the aerobraking maneuvers that other spacecraft previously used.
Runway Landing for X-37B is Coming Soon
It was revealed by Space Force that it will first perform the aerobraking maneuvers to be followed by "test and experimentation objectives" before it completes its deorbit process, all part of this return mission.
According to Space Force, it is expected to return safely like the previous missions and perform a runway landing, as Earth-based airplanes do. However, the US military has yet to confirm the exact return date of X-37B as of press time.
X-37B Spaceplane from US Space Force
The US Space Force and Boeing's high-endurance spaceplane, X-37B, has long been creating records for surviving extended periods in space for over a decade now, following a years-long development for the military. In 2022, Space Force and Boeing recorded its longest mission record which took place for a total of 908 days, equivalent to almost 30 months or two-and-a-half years.
The US Military boasted of what the X-37B vehicle is capable of, calling it the "world's only reusable spaceplane" that can sustain itself in endurance missions for months on end without the need to refuel. It is also given solar panels in its body to draw energy from the Sun to power its systems, allowing it to go further than any other spacecraft in history for its mysterious missions.
The last X-37B launch took place last December 2023 and was delivered by SpaceX's Falcon Heavy to orbit before detaching and journeying to its orbit for its prolonged exploration. That being said, X-37B's mission has to end at some point and Space Force now determined that it will do so in due time while attempting its first-ever aerobraking maneuvers for its grand return.
