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Skywatcher and satellite tracker Ralf Vandebergh of the Netherlands recently saw a rare glimpse of the US Air Force's secret X-37B aircraft.
Vandebergh said he had been looking for the robotic spacecraft for months and had finally managed to locate it in May. But it took a little longer to get pictures of the vehicle.
"When I tried to observe him again [in] In mid-June, he did not respect the planned schedule and trajectory, "explained Vandebergh. It turned out to be another orbit. Through the network of amateur satellite observers, it was quickly found in orbit and I was able to take pictures on June 30 and July 2. "
The last passes of the X-37B were almost over his head, added Vandebergh.
Related: The X-37B Space Plan: 6 Surprising Facts
Beyond all hope
The X-37B, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), looks like a miniature version of NASA's retired space shuttle.
"It's really a small object, even just 300 kilometers [186 miles] altitude, so do not expect the level of detail of the ground footage of the actual space shuttle, "said Vandebergh.
Given the above, recently captured images have far exceeded Vandebergh's expectations.
"We can recognize a little nose, payload bay and tail of this mini-shuttle, with even a sign of lesser detail," he said.
Vandebergh captured the photos with the help of a 10-inch Newtonian telescope with F / 4.8 aperture with a CMOS Mono Astrolumina ALccd 5L-11 camera. The follow-up was entirely manual thanks to a 6 × 30 researcher, he said.
Classified functions
The X-37B flew 666 days during this last mission, called OTV-5, because it is the fifth flight of the program.
OTV-5 began on September 7, 2017 with a launch at the top of a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.
X-37B missions are conducted under the auspices of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and mission control for OTV flights is provided by the 3rd Space Experiment Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado. . This squadron oversees the operations of the X-37B. It is considered to be the main organization of the Air Force Space Command for space demonstrations, scouts and experiment tests.
And that can be a sign of what the robotic ship does – look at both the Earth and up.
Related: The secret air plane X-37B of the US Air Force (computer graphics)
Record of flight duration
Each X-37B mission set a new flight time record for the program:
Most X-37B payloads are classified and the Air Force publishes little detail about the orbit and activities of the spacecraft. The only payload of the OTV-5 revealed by Air Force officials is the Advanced Integrated Structure Thermal Spreader, or ASETS-II.
Developed by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), this cargo tests experimental electronic devices and oscillating heat pipes for long-term missions in the space environment.
According to AFRL, the three main scientific objectives of the payload are to measure the initial thermal performance in orbit, to measure the long-term thermal performance and to evaluate any degradation of the service life.
Landing on the tarmac
The exact date on which OTV-5 ends is unknown.
The last X-37B mission was held at the KSC shuttle facility, a first for the program. All previous missions had ended with a touchdown on the tarmac at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Several websites indicate that the sixth mission, OTV-6, is scheduled for this year on a United Launch Alliance Atlas-5 rocket (501). The launch would take place from the Space-41 launch complex of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Reusable vehicles
The "park" of the X-37B class program includes two known reusable vehicles, both built by Boeing.
X-37B vehicles were built at several Boeing locations in Southern California, including Huntington Beach, Seal Beach and El Segundo. The program was transferred to the US Air Force in 2004 following previously funded research efforts by Boeing, NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
The military space plane measures 8.8 meters long and 2.9 meters high, with a wingspan of nearly 4.6 meters.
The X-37B loading bay, which measures 7.1 meters (1.2 meters) by 1.2 meters (4 feet), can be equipped with a robotic arm. The spacecraft has a launch weight of 11,000 pounds. (4,990 kilograms) and is orbited by gallium arsenide solar cells with lithium-ion batteries.
Prior to the launch of OTV-5, Randy Walden, director of the Air Force's Rapid Capacity Office, said the mission had been marked by many firsts, making it a milestone for the program. "Our goal is to continue to advance the OTV X-37B so that it can better support the growing space community," he said at the time.
The Air Force also noted that the OTV-5 had been launched on a higher inclination orbit than previous missions and had to land for this purpose, in order to further expand the envelope orbital X-37B.
Leonard David is the author of the recently published book, "Moon Rush: The new race for space"Published by National Geographic in May 2019. Long-time writer for Space.com, David has been dealing with the space industry for more than five decades, follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
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