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Boeing X-37B Spaceplane Returns To The Space Coast
The X-37B spaceplane is rumoured to have touched down this morning on the Space Coast following weeks of lowering its orbit.
Sat Nov 12 2022Written by Jay Keegan
This is very much a developing story and early information may not be accurate
This morning, reports of sonic booms were heard across the Space Coast raising suspicion of whether the highly classified X-37B spaceplane had returned to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The spaceplane launched aboard ULA's Atlas V 501 rocket in May 2020 and had been orbiting since.
The spaceplane orbited Earth on a top-secret missions for the United States Space Force for approximately 908 days and has been lowering its orbit for a number of weeks. With the orbit lowering, a return to Earth was expected to be imminent.
However, the X-37B usually touches down at Vandenberg Air Force Base or Edwards Air Force Base.
What Is The X-37B?
Very little is known about the X-37B spaceplane's operations. It was developed by Boeing and is used by the US Space Force for classified missions.
Despite looking similar in some regards to the Space Shuttle, the X-37B is completely different. Where the Shuttle was used for primarily ISS and science operations, the X-37B is unmanned and autonomous with much of its operations being highly classified.
UPDATE 16:20 UTC - In a press release, Boeing has confirmed the successful landing of the X-37B spaceplane on the pace Coat after 908 days in orbit.
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