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The X-37B orbital test vehicle in the Kennedy Space Center shuttle landing system of the NASA shortly after learning on November 12, 2022. Credit: US Space Force/Staff Sgt. Adam Shanks
US President Trump’s “One, Big Beautiful Bill Act”, HR 1 contains $ 1 billion for the US Space Force (UDSF) X-37B Military SpaceCRACT.
The largely classified X-37B-ECHT as an OTV program (Orbital Test Vehicle) described his seventh mission and landed on March 7 on the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and ended up in the orbit after 434 days.
Space.com turned to the building contractor of the Boeing space plane how this would output $ 1 billion and when the next X-37B would leave. In response, we received a “THANKS for the question” and an instructions for the request to contact the Air Force in order to receive a comment on the X-37 time plan and the budget.
Space test platform
“The USSF X-37B program supports the development, experimenting and the development of the operational concept for future reusable space,” replied the USF Oberst Lori Astroth, deputy director of public affairs in the secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affair in the Pentagon.
The X-37B program “serves as a flexible space test platform to carry out various experiments that can be transported to space and returned to earth,” added Col. Astroth. “Further information on the cost and budget information from X-37B is not released.”
The Roboter-X-37B-Weltraum level of the US Air Force is shown here in a photo from 2009 on the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. | Credit: US Air Force
High elliptical orbit
The last Hush-Hush flight of the X-37B orbital test vehicle (OTV-7) showed the craft, which was thrown into a high-elliptical high-earth orbit on December 28, 2023 with a falcon-heavy rocket.
After aerobraking to a low orbit and the conclusion of their test and experimental goals, the space level successfully carried out its deorbit and landing processes.
As with the previous Trek (OTV-6) Pace level, OTV-7 also included a service module that expanded the skills of the spacecraft.
“The successful conclusion of the new aerobraking maneuver showed the agile and flexible skills that the X-37b of the United States Space Force offers,” says the secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs.
Aerobraking technology includes the use of atmospheric air resistance in the course of several passes to change the orbits and at the same time absorb minimal fuel.
“During the orbit, Mission 7 has reached a number of test and experimental goals to demonstrate the robust maneuver capacity of the X-37B and at the same time characterize the room domain through the tests of the Space Domain Aarness Technology Experiments,” the explanation said.
Earth, as seen in the first on orbit photo, published by X-37B (left); The space plane is preparing for its seventh mission, which was launched on December 28, 2023. | Credit: US Space Force
Schedule
Here is a list of earlier flights of the space aircraft:
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OTV-1: Start on April 22, 2010 and landed on December 3, 2010 and spent over 224 days in orbit.
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OTV-2: Start on March 5, 2011 and landed on June 16, 2012 and spent over 468 days in orbit.
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OTV-3: Start on December 11, 2012 and landed on October 17, 2014 and spent more than 674 days in orbit.
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OTV-4: Start on May 20, 2015 and landed on May 7, 2015 and spent almost 718 days in orbit.
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OTV-5: Start on September 7, 2017 and landed on October 27, 2019, spent almost 780 days in orbit.
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OTV-6: Start on May 17, 2020 and landed on November 12, 2022 to circle the earth by 908 days.
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OTV-7: On December 28, 2023 and March 7, 2025, the earth circles for 434 days.
Use technologies first
The manufacturer of the vehicle, Boeing, previously found that the X -37B uses several “first use in space” technologies, including:
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Avionics that was developed to automate all debit and land functions.
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Flight controls and brakes with all electromechanical activities; No hydraulics on board.
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Use of a lighter composite structure and not a conventional aluminum.
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High temperature curses for the new generation and hardened fibrous fibrous oxidation -resistant ceramic tiles (Tufroc) and advanced, conformable reusable insulation (CRI) -Berola (strict fibrous fibrous fibrous oxidation -resistant ceramic).
According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, the space force uses the X-37B system as an on-orbit test bed to try out new technologies, to understand similar controversy platforms better and to design new training environments, with the publication of Chief of Space Operations General Chance Salzman Comments for publication.
