Space Force X-37B Secretive Mission Lifts Off Aboard Atlas Rocket

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The US Space Force X-37B spaceship launched off atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, adding to the list of mysterious missions from Florida. Presently, the exact purpose of the mission is secret. However, the Space Force officials said that the X-37B is carrying many experiments to test it out in space.

 
Space Force X-37B Secretive Mission Lifts Off Aboard Atlas Rocket

Out of these experiments, there seems to be a small satellite FalconSat-8. Plus, there are two NASA payloads sent to study the effects of radiation on different materials and also to seeds to grow food, and a power-beaming experiment using microwave energy.

 

Space Force X-37B Mission

Apart from these experiments, the Space Force has a couple of classified missions. The US Space Force and Air Force Rapid Response Capabilities Office have two of the miniature shuttle-like X-37B space planes that are generally used for classified military missions in the low-Earth orbit.

Space Force officials have said that the experiments and technology the X-37B carries "enables the U.S. to more efficiently and effectively develop space capabilities necessary to maintain superiority in the space domain," reports Space.com. The report further notes that this particular mission has more number of experiments than previous missions.

Apart from this, the US Space Force has many more missions lined up, but the officials have decided to delay them considering the global pandemic. The Space Force was supposed to launch the navigation satellite mission GPS 3 SV03 and has now been delayed till June 30.

Apart from the Atlas V rocket, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was also supposed to liftoff 24 hours later. This spaceship was supposed to carry the next batch of the SpaceX Starlink satellites into orbit. But following bad weather, the Starlink launch has been postponed.

When the Falcon 9 does launch, the total number Starlink satellites up to nearly 500. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had noted that 400-800 Starlink satellites are needed to beam internet to Earth in a limited geographical area. The present reschedule will have the Falcon 9 will launching today (May 20), if the weather permits.

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