The secret U.S. space plane has been orbiting for over a year. What is its mission? (Photos included)

The mysterious X-37B spaceplane of the U.S. Space Force has been orbiting Earth for over a year, specifically for 379 days. Its purpose remains a mystery, yet some information sheds light on its secret mission, as reported by IFLScience.

The unmanned X-37B spaceplane was launched into orbit using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on December 28, 2023. This marks its seventh mission for the enigmatic U.S. military spaceplane developed by Boeing. Currently, the aircraft has been in orbit for 379 days, and it remains unclear when it will return. While the X-37B requires a launch vehicle to reach orbit, it lands like a conventional airplane on a runway, a feat demonstrated six times already.

The X-37B was first launched into orbit by the U.S. Space Force in 2010. This inaugural mission lasted for 224 days. The longest the X-37B has remained in orbit was during its sixth mission, which concluded in 2022, lasting 908 days.

Over the years, not much information has surfaced about the spaceplane itself, making it difficult to ascertain its activities in orbit. It is also unknown how long it will spend in space during its seventh mission. Likely, details about the mission's conclusion will only be revealed when the aircraft returns to Earth, as has been the case in the past.

Experts believe that the Pentagon is testing reusable spaceplane technology, but this remains uncertain. Most of the X-37B missions have been shrouded in secrecy, and the seventh mission is no exception. Officially, the Pentagon has repeatedly stated that X-37B is used to test various space technologies, without delving into specifics.

It is known that last year, the X-37B spaceplane demonstrated aerodynamic braking technology for the first time, utilizing atmospheric friction to decrease its orbit with minimal fuel consumption. Additionally, it is reported that during this maneuver, the X-37B disposed of certain devices in Earth's atmosphere, although the specifics remain unknown.

Regarding the current X-37B mission, NASA has indicated that an experiment is being conducted on board to gather more information about how cosmic radiation affects plant seeds and their survivability in space. NASA is also testing new thermal protection coatings for spacecraft.

What is known about the X-37B spaceplane itself? Its length is nearly 9 meters, with a wingspan of 4.5 meters. The aircraft can operate at altitudes ranging from 240 to 800 km above Earth. However, the Pentagon keeps the altitude of the X-37B during its seventh mission confidential. This lack of disclosure is not surprising, as similar information was not released during past missions. The X-37B spaceplane can fly over Earth at speeds exceeding 28,000 km/h.

Some experts speculate that the seventh mission could conclude in 2026, but this is merely conjecture with no supporting evidence. It is worth noting that each new X-37B mission has lasted longer than the previous one. Therefore, there is a possibility that the seventh mission will extend beyond the sixth and that the secret U.S. spaceplane may remain in orbit for even 1,000 days.