The US successfully launched the top secret X-37B spacecraft

Early this morning (Vietnam time), the US successfully launched Atlas V rocket launcher from Cape Canaveral, Florida state carrying X-37B unmanned aerial ship, a secret, full-secret program of the air force. this country.

Similar to a miniature shuttle, the top-secret X-37B spacecraft was launched into space just after 6:00 PM GMT (1:00 am Vietnam time). Immediately after leaving the launch pad for about 15 minutes, the X-37B reached a speed of 20,921km / h and all operations were perfect.

'The focus of this program is to test the ship's capabilities and demonstrate the utility and cost-effectiveness of a reusable spacecraft , ' Tracy Air Force spokesman Bunko said on Reuters.

Atlas V rocket launchers launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, Florida carrying X-37B

Bunko's statement seems to want to clear up speculation about the secret mission of X-37B. However, Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics conjectured that the mini spacecraft carried intelligence sensors and would most likely act as a test device for the guards. future planet. Even this latest launch raises suspicion that the ship will perform a task to spy on China's space-testing room, Thien Cung 1, although this idea is thought to be unfounded.

Engineers checked the X37-B spacecraft after a flight
the second time to orbit back to Earth in June 2012

The X-37B unmanned spacecraft is designed to operate on Earth orbit for a long time. Its two previous missions in 2010 and 2011 lasted for 224 days and 469 days respectively. On the third launch, the US Air Force did not say how long the X-37B mission would last.

Boeing-built X-37B, 9m long, 4.5m wingspan, 3m height, 5,000kg volume and operates at an altitude of 180-800km. The ship began with a NASA project in 1999 but was later transferred to the US Army in 2006. The budget for the X-37B program remains a secret.