US Air Force To Launch Seventh X-37B Mission

Handout photo dated May 20, 2015 shows the Air Force and its mission partners successfully launched the AFSPC-5 mission aboard the Space and Missile Systems Center procured United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.,. The Atlas V rocket carried into low Earth orbit an X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, marking the fourth space flight for the X-37B program. The U.S. Space Force is preparing for the launch of the enigmatic X-37B space plane aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Taking place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on December 7th, the upcoming mission, known as USSF-52, marks a significant milestone as it will be the first time the X-37B launches on a Falcon Heavy. While the X-37B’s capabilities and operations remain shrouded in secrecy, the Space Force has shed some light on its mission objectives. The upcoming flight will build upon previous missions that utilized the X-37B as a platform for launching and testing experimental payloads before safely return