The US Space Force’s mysterious X-37B unmanned drone is expected to soar into space once again, this time reaching even higher — as some speculate it may be used to find threats from hostile satellites.
The oddly shaped spacecraft with stubby wings and a round bulldog nose was originally to take off from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sunday night, but the launch was delayed as a strong storm crossed the East Coast.
With “heavy” rain, high winds and cloud cover, the Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron estimated the chance of a successful launch at just 40 percent Sunday night.
By Monday night, however, the chance of success increased to 70 percent, according to Elon Musk’s SpaceX — which won a $130 million contract to launch the spacecraft in 2018.
It is currently scheduled to launch the X-37B on a Falcon Heavy rocket at 8:14 p.m. Monday from the Kennedy Space Center.
“The team will use the time to complete additional pre-launch inspections,” SpaceX posted on X.
The scheduled launch of the mysterious X-37B unmanned drone has been delayed. Florida Today-USA TODAY NETWORK
The extra time could come in handy amid speculation that the plane’s mission will be in a higher orbit than previous missions, as The Falcon Heavy is more powerful than the rockets that have launched drones in the past.
“We are excited to expand the X-37B’s reusable capability envelope, using its flight-proven service module and Falcon Heavy rocket to fly a variety of advanced experiments for the Department of the Air Force and its partners,” Lt. Col. Joseph Fritschen, director of the X-37B program said in a statement.
Space Operations Chief General Chance Saltzman went on to explain that the upcoming flight, dubbed OTV-7, will conduct a “groundbreaking” experiment that will “equip the United States with the knowledge to enhance current and future space operations.”
The oddly shaped spacecraft with fat wings and a rounded nose like a bulldog is expected to reach new heights in its latest mission. AFP/Getty Images
Among the unmanned drone tests expected to be conducted in space are experiments “with future domain awareness technologies,” according to the military.
Experts speculated that the X-37B would observe satellites launched by enemy nations, scanning the skies for possible threats.
“Our space systems are threatened by a growing array of anti-satellite capabilities, and joint forces are threatened by increasingly sophisticated adversary space-based systems aimed at targeting joint forces,” Saltzman said in a statement to Congress earlier this year.
The flight is also expected to “expose plant seeds to the harsh radiation environment of long-duration spaceflight” in an experiment for NASA, the Space Force said.
Experts speculated that it could be imagined that the X-37B would observe satellites launched by enemy countries, potentially looking for threats REUTERS
The Pentagon has previously used X-37Bs to test some of its new technology, including small solar panels designed to convert solar energy into microwaves, which could one day allow energy harnessed from space to be beamed back to Earth, the Washington Post reported.
The X-37B has also been used to deploy small satellites — although it remains unclear what exactly these satellites do.
It also remains unclear why the vehicle – capable of surviving in space for hundreds of days – might need to reach further into the depths of space, as the X-37B program is classified under the jurisdiction of the Space Force.
“The US government is in this weird place where they brag publicly about how amazing and sophisticated it is, but won’t give any information about it,” Brian Weeden, director of program planning at the Secure World Foundation, told the Washington Post.
The organization stated that the budget of the program is a mystery.
Much of the use of the X-37B is shrouded in mystery, as the program is classified under the jurisdiction of the US Space Force. Reuters
“The US military has publicly praised the program for its significant success, but has not provided any information about its in-orbit activities,” the Secure World Foundation wrote in a fact sheet about the mysterious aircraft.
“This may indicate that they are part of a secret intelligence program, but it may also indicate a test of an offensive technology or capability.”
That “mystique” adds to the reputation of the Boeing X-37B around the world, Weeden said, as the Pentagon tries to explain it is using the unmanned craft for something very important.
But the Secure World Foundation claims the X-37B has “virtually zero feasibility as an orbital weapons system to attack targets on the ground” and concludes that the craft may be used for purposes the Pentagon claims, including “testing reusable space launch vehicle technology (such as guidance and thermal protection) and on-orbit testing of new sensor technologies and satellite hardware for risk mitigation.”
The Chinese government remains skeptical about the United States’ use of the mysterious craft – claiming the government is trying to weaponize space. Reuters
Still, China remains skeptical about the United States’ use of this mysterious craft — claiming the government is trying to weaponize space.
In response, China created a secret reusable spacecraft, the Shenlong, which has flown two missions so far.
The latter reportedly landed in May after spending 276 days in orbit, but no photos of Shenlong have been publicly released, according to the Washington Post.
Meanwhile, the X-37B has spent more than 10 years in space, which the military says has allowed it to gain information on how different objects survive in space for longer periods.
“It has been an incredible test and experimental vehicle for years,” Gen. David Thompson, the Space Force’s vice chief of space operations said at a forum earlier this year.
“I’ll tell you, you’re just starting to see some of the cool things we’ve got planned for the X-37,” he vowed.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
