27 October 2019 (13:09 UTC-07 Tango 06) 05 Aban 1398/27 Safar 1441/29 Jia-Xu 4717
Real short thermal image video of 27OCT2019 X-37B landing:
“The sky is no longer the limit for the Air Force and, if Congress approves, the U.S. Space Force.”-General David L. Goldfein, U.S. Air Force
After two years in orbit, the space drone X-37B returned to Earth, setting a record: “The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable spaceplane. Each successive mission advances our nation’s space capabilities.”-Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the Air Force
Photo via Space Launch Delta 45.
At 03:15 Eastern U.S. Time, 27OCT2019, the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, completing 780 days in orbit during its fifth test mission: “This program continues to push the envelope as the world’s only reusable space vehicle. With a successful landing today, the X-37B completed its longest flight to date and successfully completed all mission objectives. This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.”-Randy Walden, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office
You should keep in mind how significant the 780 days in orbit are, as the Boeing X-37B was originally designed for only 270 day-orbits.
The X-37B OTV is placed inside a pod for launching, 31AUG2017. Photo via Boeing.
X-37B Mission-5 launched on 07SEP2017 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on-board a Space X Falcon 9 booster (Air Force Awards Launch Services Contracts to SpaceX). Mission-6 will launch sometime in 2020.
Launch pod carrying X-37B is towed to the Space-X rocket, which can be seen waiting in the background, 05SEP2017. Photo via Boeing.
2017 official video explainer of the X-37B:
U.S. Air Force photo, 07MAY2017.
Video of X-37B Mission-4 landing, 07MAY2017, Kennedy Space Center. Watch as it roles past a Space Shuttle ‘gate guard’:
USAF photo, 07MAY2017.
What’s it like to have the X-37B fly over your head? Watch the video:
Before the use of a SpaceX rocket, the X-37B was launched by the old Atlas-5. Video, March 2015, Atlas-5 rocket launches AFSPC-5 satellite carrying X-37B from Cape Canaveral:
Video, 2012 Pentagon Report reveals unmanned space plane was taken over by DARPA from NASA:
The X-37B OTV being placed inside the launch capsule/pod, 31MAR2010. USAF photo.
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