SpaceX Falcon Heavy launches secretive US military plane

The mysterious X-37B

The United States Department of Defence has disclosed very few details about the X-37B, which is built by Boeing. It is around the size of a small bus and has a design language that harkens back to the time of the space shuttle. It is built to deploy many different payloads and conduct technology experiments on years-long orbital flights. The craft is designed to come back through the atmosphere and land on a runway like an airplane.

According to Boeing, the X-37B has avionics technology that automates all de-orbit and landing functions. There are no hydraulics on board and all flight controls and brakes are operated using electro-mechanical actuation. The plane is also built out of a space grade composite that is lighter than aluminium.

Test flight gives a taste of something new

The launch on Friday was the first time the spacecraft rode on the SpaceX Falcon Heavy. It has previously launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 and the Atlas V rocket built by the United Launch Alliance, which is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

There is also an indication that the X-37B is designed for more distant orbits, maybe even to the Moon and Mars, according to CNN. If it travels that deep in space, it might be more difficult for sky-gazers on Earth to find out where the vehicle is. The X-37B helps the United States carry out experiments to understand the levels of its ongoing and upcoming space operations while pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

From the homepage

Bihar’s Chief Ministers | Nitish Kumar: Journey from early poll losses to becoming longest-serving CM

Bihar Election Results 2025 LIVE Updates: What’s next for Tejashwi Yadav after the RJD debacle

Want to know what’s wrong with the Congress? Look at its reaction to Bihar loss