{"id":29351,"date":"2020-05-17T13:27:16","date_gmt":"2020-05-17T13:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2020\/05\/17\/the-space-force-just-launched-the-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:10:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:10:06","slug":"the-space-force-just-launched-the-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/space\/2020\/05\/17\/the-space-force-just-launched-the-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane\/","title":{"rendered":"US Space Force launches the mysterious X-37B space plane"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/space\/2017\/08\/31\/air-forces-space-plane-set-to-launch-again-sept-7\/\" target=_blank>enigmatic X-37B space plane<\/a> is back in orbit after a Sunday morning launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After strong ground winds at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida caused the postponement of the launch mission on Saturday, the Atlas V finally blasted off a day later at 9:14 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Boeing-made X-37B is an unmanned, reusable spacecraft that takes off vertically and lands horizontally on a runway. The U.S. Air Force, which owns two X-37B vehicles, has historically been reticent to comment on the capabilities of the X-37B and what it does during its extended time in space, aside from hosting scientific experiments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019ve learned a lot from the X-37,\u201d Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond told a small group of reporters ahead of the launch. \u201cOne of the things that we\u2019ve learned is the value of reusability, and I think as a Space Force there\u2019s a couple things that we\u2019re really going to value, and reusability is one of those and autonomy is another one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3000\" height=\"1998\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20138487384725.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Sunday, May 17, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.\" class=\"wp-image-62471\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20138487384725.jpg.jpg 3000w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20138487384725.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20138487384725.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20138487384725.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20138487384725.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1023 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20138487384725.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1364 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Sunday, May 17, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The mission&#8217;s primary payload is the X-37B spaceplane. (John Raoux\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A live video stream of the launch showed the Atlas V lifting off into space and the separation of the rocket\u2019s first stage from the Centaur upper stage. However, the live stream cut out afterward due to the extreme secrecy surrounding the capabilities of the X-37B, said ULA CEO Tory Bruno.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a classified mission, and what is classified about it is the details of the vehicle itself, the mission it will do on orbit and where it will do that,\u201d he said. \u201cTherefore we have to stop the live broadcast so that we do not make it easy for adversaries to figure those things out by having that much data about the flight and deployment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sunday\u2019s launch marked the start of the X-37B\u2019s sixth mission, which will involve more experiments than any previous mission thanks to a new service module added to the aft of the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Raymond called the module \u201ca trailer \u2026 behind the truck that provides added capacity for experiments,\u201d but he didn\u2019t elaborate on the size of the module or how the X-37 was modified to incorporate that upgrade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this month, the Air Force disclosed a number of the experiments that will be conducted onboard, most notably <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2020\/05\/07\/here-are-a-few-of-the-experiments-hitching-a-ride-on-the-air-forces-secret-space-plane\/\" target=\"_blank\">one that will deliver solar power to the ground from space <\/a>via radio frequency microwave energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, the spacecraft will also deploy the small satellite FalconSat-8, which was developed by the Air Force Academy and carries five experimental payloads. The X-37B will also host two NASA experiments that will study how seeds used for food products are affected by radiation and the space environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20137514276143.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"This May 5, 2020, photo made available by the United States Space Force shows the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the USSF at Cape Canaveral, Fla.\" class=\"wp-image-75280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20137514276143.jpg.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20137514276143.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20137514276143.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20137514276143.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20137514276143.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This May 5, 2020, photo made available by the United States Space Force shows the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the USSF at Cape Canaveral, Fla. (Boeing\/USSF via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In its last expedition, which ended in October, the X-37 spent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/space\/2019\/10\/28\/the-air-forces-x-37b-spaceplane-finally-landed-after-spending-two-years-in-space\/\" target=\"_blank\">a record-breaking 780 days on orbit<\/a>, for a total of 2,865 days across all missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One question that has loomed over the X-37 is whether it has counter-space capabilities and could be used to test offensive technologies. Some space researchers believe the vehicle was used to launch three cubesats that were not registered in international tracking databases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe secret deployment of multiple small satellites raises additional questions about the mission of the X-37B,\u201d stated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/battlefield-tech\/space\/2020\/03\/29\/countries-keep-investing-in-weapons-to-take-out-satellites\/\" target=\"_blank\">the annual Global Counterspace Capabilities report<\/a> released by the Secure World Foundation in March. \u201cIt suggests that the X-37B may have a mission to serve as a covert satellite deployment platform. The secrecy surrounding both the X-37B and the deployment may indicate they are part of a covert intelligence program, but it may also indicate the testing of offensive technologies or capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The spacecraft also has unique performance attributes with regard to maneuverability, according to former Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. In July, Wilson said the X-37B \u201ccan do an orbit that looks like an egg and, when it\u2019s close to the Earth, it\u2019s close enough to the atmosphere to turn where it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhich means our adversaries don\u2019t know \u2014 and that happens on the far side of the Earth from our adversaries \u2014 where it\u2019s going to come up next. And we know that that drives them nuts. And I\u2019m really glad about that,\u201d she added, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.military.com\/daily-news\/2019\/07\/23\/former-secaf-explains-how-secret-x-37-space-plane-throws-enemies.html\" target=_blank>according to Military.com.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday\u2019s launch was the second-ever by the U.S. Space Force and the 80th under the National Security Space Launch effort. Space and Missiles Systems Center plans to launch seven other missions this year, it said in a news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Nathan Strout and Aaron Mehta contributed to this story.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The X-37B will be hosting more experiments than ever before thanks to a new payload module.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":50868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":37,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[7,29,37,81,26],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3188],"class_list":["post-29351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-battlefield-tech","category-home","category-space","category-space-missile-defense","category-special-reports"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"SUOBXRTFJJAKFAUW2VUY36JNIU","arc_canonical_url":"\/space\/2020\/05\/17\/the-space-force-just-launched-the-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>US Space Force launches the mysterious X-37B space plane - C4ISRNet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The X-37B will be hosting more experiments than ever before thanks to a new payload module.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/space\/2020\/05\/17\/the-space-force-just-launched-the-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"US Space Force launches the mysterious X-37B space plane\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The X-37B will be hosting more experiments than ever before thanks to a new payload module.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/space\/2020\/05\/17\/the-space-force-just-launched-the-mysterious-x-37b-space-plane\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"C4ISRNet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-17T13:27:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T23:10:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Valerie Insinna\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Valerie Insinna\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            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