US Military Spaceplane To Perform Orbital Maneuvers

In a rare disclosure, the U.S. Space Force announced that its secretive X-37B spaceplane will execute a series of maneuvers before returning back to Earth. SpaceNews reports: The reusable spacecraft, which has been in orbit since December 28, 2023, will perform aerobraking maneuvers to alter its trajectory around Earth, the Space Force said Oct. 10. This technique involves making multiple passes through the planet's upper atmosphere, using atmospheric drag to modify the vehicle's orbit while conserving fuel. These maneuvers also are intended to showcase responsible space operations, the Space Force said. The aerobraking enables the spaceplane to change orbits and comply with space debris mitigation rules by safely discarding the service module.

The X-37B, manufactured by Boeing, is jointly operated by the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. Since its launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the spaceplane has been conducting radiation effect experiments and testing space domain awareness technologies in a highly elliptical orbit. [...] After completing its aerobraking maneuvers, the X-37B will resume its testing and experimentation objectives. Once these are accomplished, the vehicle will de-orbit and return to Earth, utilizing its autonomous landing system to touch down horizontally like a conventional aircraft. The Space Force has not disclosed the expected duration of the current mission.

Responsible space operations

[RobinH]

"These maneuvers(sic) also are intended to showcase responsible space operations" - that's a dig at China [airandspaceforces.com]. China has been criticized by everyone in the space community for not following best practices when it comes to disposing of spent stages and communicating with the rest of the space community.

Re:Responsible space operations

[Cpt_Kirks]

Also dropping the occasional fuel loaded booster on a city.

Re:Responsible space operations

[RobinH]

Yeah, with hypergolic fuel. That's really, really nasty stuff. It's not like China doesn't have a handy coastline to launch East from. They just built their launch facility up in the mountainous inland area to make it less susceptible to attack. I can see that for your missile silos, but not for your commercial and exploration launches.

Re:

[angel'o'sphere]

East of China is a country.
It is called: Japan.

Re:Responsible space operations

[RobinH]

Don't be ridiculous. Look at a map. There are a ton of launch locations they could choose where they could launch over water missing Taiwan and Japan. SpaceX launches from Texas and managed to miss Florida and Cuba.

Re:

[angel'o'sphere]

Florida is their own country. So obviously they miss it.
Japan is a target for N Korea.
What you think happens if there is an unannounced launch and the missile goes over Japan airspace?
 

Re:

[RobinH]

You can't be serious. Does Mexico and Cuba freak out every time SpaceX launches a rocket? The US publicizes their launches and lets other countries know what they're doing. Exactly as China should do. When China launches from their inland launch site, the rocket still flies East. It'll eventually go over some other country. Sheesh.

Why is it still an X-plane if operational?

[schwit1]

Something like the SR-81 would be cool

Re:

[clampolo]

It is still experimental and in the research and development stage. Yes, it is in space, but it is there for testing.

drag maneuvers

[White Yeti]

Without any specifics, "aerobraking" implies they're simply lowering the apogee altitude / decreasing the orbital eccentricity. When used as a more general tool that can be turned on and off, this is known as "differential drag" or "drag maneuvering". See this example [nasa.gov] and its references.

KSP

[awwshit]

They trained the AI with Kerbal Space Program, nothing can go wrong.