The US military’s secretive X-37B robotic spaceplane successfully launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking its seventh mission. This flight is notable for being the first to utilize SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, enabling a higher orbital deployment.
The launch follows China’s recent mission with its Shenlong spaceplane, highlighting the growing rivalry between the two nations in space exploration.
The Pentagon has revealed limited information about the X-37B mission, expected to last several years. The unmanned Boeing-built aircraft, approximately 29 feet long, will conduct experiments, including studying the effects of radiation on plant seeds.
While the specific altitude for this mission remains undisclosed, it is anticipated to involve tests of advanced space technologies. The X-37B’s previous missions were confined to low-Earth orbit, with the last one extending for two and a half years until its landing in November 2022.
