The United States Space Force on Friday (Feb 21) released the first photograph of its top-secret X-37B space plane in orbit. The photo was taken by a camera onboard the space plane while orbiting high above the African continent. The vehicle has been in orbit for over a year now, having jetted off for its seventh mission on December 28, 2023, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. As the image went viral, social media users reacted in amusement with few speculating that the US Space Force was building something far more advanced if it had decided to publish X- 37B’s pictures. Some details remain classified, but the Space Force has disclosed that OTV-7 includes experiments such as radiation effect studies and space domain awareness tests. Cumulatively, it has logged over 4,000 days in space across all missions, with each successive flight extending its time in orbit by a few days. The 29-foot-long, 15-foot wingspan plane is designed to test advanced technologies, including propulsion systems, thermal protection, and autonomous reentry capabilities.
