News of War Staff Writer
SpaceX Prepares for Historic X-37B Military Spaceplane Launch with Enhanced Capabilities
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - SpaceX is gearing up for the anticipated launch of the U.S. military's secretive X-37B robot spaceplane. This seventh mission, set to embark from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, marks the first time the spacecraft will be launched on a rocket capable of reaching higher orbits.
The nighttime launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to occur at Cape Canaveral, Florida, within a 10-minute window starting at 8:07 p.m. EST. Previous attempts this month faced delays due to adverse weather conditions and technical issues.
This launch follows China's recent deployment of its Shenlong reusable robot spaceplane, intensifying the space race between the U.S. and China.
With an 80% chance of favorable weather, the mission has generated significant interest. The X-37B, managed by the U.S. Space Force and part of the National Security Space Launch program, remains shrouded in mystery. The Boeing-built vehicle, resembling a miniature space shuttle, is designed for long-duration orbital flights, carrying various payloads and conducting experiments.
Having completed six missions since 2010, the X-37B's latest journey will be its first aboard the more robust Falcon Heavy rocket. This enhanced capability may enable the spacecraft to venture into geosynchronous orbit.
The Pentagon has been tight-lipped about the mission's altitude, but it's known that the X-37B will test "new orbital regimes" and space domain awareness technologies. A notable payload includes a NASA experiment investigating the impact of space radiation on plant seeds, a study vital for future long-duration space missions.
China's Shenlong, launched in December on a less powerful rocket, represents a strategic counterpart to the X-37B. Space Force General B. Chance Saltzman highlighted the mutual interest and competitive nature between the U.S. and China in space endeavors.
The duration of the X-37B's mission remains undisclosed but is expected to follow the trend of increasingly longer spaceflights, with the last mission lasting over two years.