Assumption about the mysterious mission of the X-37B

Deploying spy satellites, tracking or space bombs are hypotheses that are made around the purpose of the X-37B, the unmanned spacecraft participating in a secret US Air Force program. .

>>>The mysterious ship x-37b is about to return to earth
>>> The mysterious spacecraft X-37B has returned to Earth

The US Air Force X-37B unmanned spacecraft landed in central California on October 17, ending a secret mission that spanned nearly two years in orbit.

X-37B (also known as Orbital Test Vehicle-OTV) is the US Air Force's unmanned aerial (UAV) aircraft. This spaceship looks similar to a NASA space shuttle.

According to Space, X-37B participates in a mission called Orbital Test Vehicle 3 (OTV-3). However, the secret about X-37B has raised many assumptions around its purpose in the past.

X-37B at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in June 2009.(Photo: USAF)

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Some say that the X-37B is a space plane carrying high-tech surveillance equipment, designed to track certain areas on Earth.

"The X-37B could be a scouting prototype, performing a" spy "mission in the Middle East and some other sensitive geopolitical areas," said Extreme Tech.

According to experts, the US military used to send many surveillance satellites to orbit. But if a space plane could be used for reconnaissance, then the question is its advantage over the method of using satellites. Business Week said that aircraft can move to a certain area faster than satellites. Although the fuel requirement for carrying out this task may be prohibited.

Interfering with other satellites

X-37B is said to be a vehicle that has the mission to intervene and attack other satellites, which may cause concern for the US government. However, that idea is said to be unlikely, unless the aircraft conducts remote nefarious activities while not moving around too much.

Tracking similar activity to the US government will also be quite easy, as other governments or amateur organizations can easily follow X-37B.

Deploy spy satellite

Instead of interfering with the operation of other satellites, the X-37B could deploy its own reconnaissance satellite system for the US military. The 2011 mission of space aircraft has carried out this activity many times in the same area of ​​the Earth. Therefore, it is very likely that the X-37B will put satellites into a similar orbit.

In a report by the NY Times, some amateur observers said that X-37B flew over the same area on Earth every four days, and this could be considered the activity of a spy satellite.

Detective Chinese space station

Before the X-37B was launched into orbit, the BBC and the magazine Spacefllight published reports that its orbit was close enough to be able to see what's going on with the space lab. Thien Cung 1 of China. China successfully launched this first space laboratory in September 2011.

However, the BBC quoted non-analyst analyst Jim Oberg as saying that this possibility is unlikely. X-37B and Thien Cung 1 in orbit pass through the equator about 90 degrees. With this position, any observations on the other side cannot be done.

Simulate the operation of X-37B.(Photo: USAF)

Space bombing

This observation is intended to explain the mystery of X-37B, but has encountered some objections.

"The spacecraft's orbital change requires a great thrust, so using a vehicle like the X-37B as a bomber also means changing the trajectory to fly through the items. , and will consume all of the limited fuel supply, " Popular Mechanics magazine quoted Professor Mark Lewis of the University of Maryland as saying.

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