Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B space plane, which has been in operation since its first flight in 2011, will soon execute new manoeuvres in space as part of its seventh mission (OTV-7), which began in December 2023.
The X-37B will perform a series of manoeuvres known as “aerobraking,” where it will brush against Earth’s upper atmosphere to lower its orbit without using much fuel. This technique helps the spacecraft evade detection and conserve resources.
This mission marks the first time the X-37B has employed aerobraking, a manoeuvre previously used by NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey spacecraft, as well as the European Space Agency’s ExoMars orbiter.
The X-37B’s mission includes testing Space Domain Awareness (SDA) technologies, crucial for monitoring activities in space, as well as studying the effects of space radiation, specifically on plant seeds provided by NASA.
U.S. Space Force officials highlighted that these manoeuvres reflect the ongoing commitment to innovation in national security missions, showcasing the Space Force’s capabilities in operating in challenging space environments.
The ability to change its orbit through aerobraking allows the X-37B to perform low passes over Earth, making it difficult for adversaries to track. Former Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson had previously noted how this capability confuses opponents.
As part of its mission, the X-37B will eject components of its service module following space debris mitigation standards, ensuring responsible use of space during its operations.
Once the X-37B completes its experiments and manoeuvres, it will de-orbit and return to Earth, similar to its previous six missions, marking another successful demonstration of reusable space plane technologies.