The Air Force's space drone, more officially known as the X-37B unmanned mini-shuttle, will be coming back to Earth this week after a mysterious 22 month mission in orbit. This is the third space drone launched, and the longest mission for any of them since they started getting built on contract by United Launch Alliance, the joint Boeing and Lockheed Martin company that works on rockets and space-related craft for the U.S. government.
Unlike the planned space drones recently commissioned by DARPA, the X-37B gets taken into space by another rocket, but can land on its own, much like the Space Shuttles. Unlike the Space Shuttle missions, whatever the X-37B has been up to is classified and not really made clear to the general public. Even when the space drone will land isn't known, although that's more to do with equipment and weather uncertainties. It's expected to land at Vandenberg Air Force base in California.recently commissioned by DARPA, the X-37B gets taken into space by another rocket, but can land on its own, much like the Space Shuttles. Unlike the Space Shuttle missions, whatever the X-37B has been up to is classified and not really made clear to the general public. Even when the space drone will land isn't known, although that's more to do with equipment and weather uncertainties. It's expected to land at Vandenberg Air Force base in California.
"Team Vandenberg stands ready to implement safe landing operations for the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, the third time for this unique mission" said Colonel Keith Baits, 30th Space Wing commander in a statement.
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