X-37B Spaceplane photographed in orbit

The X-37B is an unmanned spaceplane launched by either the Atlas V or Falcon9 rockets. This is a USAF vehicle that mimics a mini space shuttle complete with a payload bay and doors. It really ought to be viewed more as a reusable satellite than a traditional spaceplane. It comes down, gets refit and sent back up. The USAF appears to have two of the spacecraft.

The USAF states the X-37B is used for experiments. Some believe the X-37B effectively acts like an SR-71 replacement since it can change orbit - and has - on command: this allows the spacecraft to avoid the classic problem where satellites follow known ephemerides and their pass-over can be predicted allowing for critical bits to be hidden. By changing orbit, even altitude, arrival times and target areas cannot be reliably predicted unless the orbit change has been seen taking place. No nation has tracking stations everywhere, soooo...



One X-37B is currently on orbit for 666+ days and has recently been photographed by Ralf Vandebergh, a satellite tracker and fan much like we here are aviation fans. His photo catches the X-37B with the pay doors open and it appears there may be a telescope or some other cylindrical object protruding. It might also be an RTG prototype given the stated mission. Details are not great, but given its over 100 miles away when the photo was taken, it is more than forgivable.

It will be interesting if anyone can get good shots. They have been rather sparse to date. It might shed some light on what the X-37B is being used for.

Photo source:
www.space.com...

X-37B info:
en.wikipedia.org...

A raw image of alleged military craft in orbit?? You better believe I will be following this rabbit trail! I bet it's actually something else, or else the payload is a weapon.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

It's very known what it is. There is a rabbit hole, but not what it is. The rabbit hole is what is it /doing/.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

It's too small to carry any useful weapons. They're doing interesting experiments though. We should see some breakthroughs in a few areas in the next 10 years or so, once they allow them to go grey or white.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It should be noted the payload bay is 4 ft by 7 ft.

Very small.

a reply to: anzha

Perfect for the experiments they're running, not so much for anything else.

a reply to: Zaphod58

A telescope would be fine in there.

Some lasers might fit, but the power source would not.

a reply to: anzha

They've been used a couple times for optical work, but more related to the tests they're doing with the craft than anything else.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I bet there will be a shift in its usage if the DIU gets its way for the orbital platform:

breakingdefense.com...

I just know I will be following the guy from Netherlands and keeping an eye for all of his updates. Maybe we can crowd source some funds for the top notch ch imaging hardware to capture even better resolution??

Do other members of his group watch for other military or experimental craft in orbit from other nations?? I bet Japan and China both have things in space, as well as the French.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

We know the Russians and Chinese are doing stuff. The Russians have something going around and rendezvousing with other countries' satellites. It's suspected its an ASAT test. However, none of those have wings and therefore are not aircraft...soo...they belong on the military projects board rather than here.

For being small, and in space for 666+ days, what does it use for propulsion...especially since it can change orbits?

a reply to: theatreboy

hydrazine. It lasts in storage. Just scary as fsck when dealing with on the ground. Ask Zaph.

a reply to: theatreboy

On one mission it used a new Hall Thruster ion engine. But mostly, as anzha said, hydrazine. God that crap is vile and nasty.

a reply to: Zaphod58

i had heard it theorized that they could possibly take small satellites into the bay for spy work but the bay seems pretty small for that option

a reply to: RalagaNarHallas

They do some experiments for NASA too, and will tell you what those are before the mission. It's really useful having something that can stay up as long as these do, because it lets them really put whatever it is through its paces long term.

a reply to: anzha

it's in orbit it doesn't need at RTG.


and the things folded out are solar panels, look at what the people who made it said it looks like.


there is a payload bay without a doubt carrying something very special but it more than likely to be optics related. they can test a few kinds of optical tech out at once, and maybe some eletric thrusters.

the solar panels onboard would supply tons of power.

then again it could have other 'nuclear' type test stuff on it.



this is not the SR-72......

there are so many things felided by the US that would blow most people's minds that this simple 1980's(other than material science) space plane isn't anything special, what's being tested is the real story.

I saw something I was totally on the fence of it being a UFO and had later heard from a good source it was in fact ours and with my own further education, I came to agree. What I saw was an orange light about the size of a star that was perfectly still and only drew my eye because of the color(I was a smoker in those days). I pointed it out to my friend and as we joked about UFO's it all off a sudden stepped across the ENTIRE horizon that I could see looking straight up(i guess some might call it zig zag).

i have seen a blue light do zig zags and cross the entire 180 degree horizon and come back once, i 100% believe that was a US craft.

I saw a small triangle floating 15-20 feet off the ground, pinned to the air slowly rotating. it was silent and when it took off it went straight up and stoipped on a dime and turned flat end first(as opposed to pointy end like a normal jet) and go away so fast if i had blinked i would believe it had vanished. I saw it on the night Clinton and Trump were campaigning in our city, i believe it was a secret US drone that was part of a larger aerial force scanning my city for dangers to Clinton and Trump as part as the Secret SErvice and that othe...never mind.


I was at a friends family camping group at a large NY campground and when I was walking the dog for our nightly goodnight walk(his pee and my smoke time), less than 4 feet above my head was an orange orb that was silently following us and just lightly bobbing in the air. The dog had stopped to do his work and i was smoking and looking at the stars(for his privacy of course) I looked straight up and saw this orb that looked like solid fire right over me and as i tried to get the dogs to come along he was to busy smelling the forest and the plants, i basically had to drag him to get him to move along(he normally is glued to my side). The orb followed us down the path for a good handful of seconds when it just went it's own way and bobbed off into the forest the other way.

the night a very close friend passed away we all including him saw a white orb hanging outside the window of the room we were in(on the 3ed story).

and many others, i believe the US has stuff that would make people go slack jawed but i also believe there are things out there we as humans have barely any comprehension of.

a reply to: penroc3

Walking your dog as a smoker in 2016 and no phone camera to grab a shot from such a close distance?? Not even to jam your tunes while on a walk??

That is certainly anamolous.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Such is the story of my life.

hindsight is 20/20


the time i saw the black triangle i had a phone in my pocket! i was so shocked and not wanting to take my eyes off of it, i didn't even REMEMBER i had a phone on me until i snapped out of it when it left.

it was part of the reason for out fitting my house with cameras all over the place

a reply to: penroc3
Crazy thing is I saw a similar phenomenon in 2015 not far from home. There were two orange lights but flying at least a hundred feet above. I decided they were drones based on their movement. Nothing I have ever seen though has ever moved the way you described those sudden fast distances across the sky.