People Are Blown Away by a Rare Image Taken from a Top-Secret Spacecraft
The spacecraft, known as the X-37B, has undertaken a total of seven missions over the past 15 years, each designed for advanced testing and research.
Currently in the middle of its seventh mission, designated as OV-7, the X-37B launched in 2023. This cutting-edge Boeing-built spacecraft is initially propelled into orbit by another carrier vehicle and, for its current mission, was launched with the help of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Over the past decade and a half, the X-37B has spent more than 4,000 days circling our planet, as reported by IFL Science. Despite its extended presence in orbit, only a handful of images from its missions have been made public.
While the exact details of its operations remain classified, the U.S. Space Force recently provided a rare treat for space enthusiasts. They shared an image and offered a brief explanation of what the X-37B has been doing.
In a Twitter post on February 21, Space Force revealed: “An X-37B onboard camera, used to ensure the health and safety of the vehicle, captures an image of Earth while conducting experiments in HEO [Highly Elliptical Orbit] in 2024.”
In its post, the U.S. Space Force also stated: “The X-37B executed a series of first-of-kind maneuvers, called aerobraking, to safely change its orbit using minimal fuel.”
The shared image captures not only a glimpse of the spacecraft itself but also an incredible view of Earth from space.
Since the photo was made public, many people have shared their reactions, with some expressing pure astonishment.
One Twitter user simply remarked: “Super cool,”, while another commented: “Amazing picture.”
Many space enthusiasts are eager for more, with one person urging the U.S. Space Force to release additional images, saying: “More of this please!!”
Another viewer was quick to describe the image as ‘magnificent,’ adding to the excitement surrounding this rare release.
Back in October 2024, the U.S. Space Force had already announced plans to test a groundbreaking technique called aerobraking with the X-37B.
Further elaborating, they continued: “The use of the aerobraking maneuver- a series of passes using the drag of Earth’s atmosphere- enables the spacecraft to change orbits while expending minimal fuel.”
“Once the aerobrake maneuver is complete, the X-37B will resume its test and experimentation objectives until they are accomplished, at which time the vehicle will de-orbit and execute a safe return as it has during its six previous missions.”
