U.S. Air Force Prepares For Second X-37B Launch

What is the U.S. Air Force doing up there? The mysterious X-37B spacecraft will begin its second voyage on Friday, provided the weather cooperates. It’s not the same exact spacecraft that went up last April, but it’s the same model. The Air Force has classified the activities of the spacecraft, so unless we have another Wikileaks we’ll have no idea what it’s doing up there.

Boeing made the spacecraft, and it’ll hurtle up there on top of an Atlas 5 rocket.

The X-37B resembles the Space Shuttle, but it’s slightly smaller. It can stay in orbit for 270 days. The most the Air Force will say about the program is that’s being used to test out new and exciting technologies.

I know this seems sparse, but actual information is sorta hard to come by when the military deems something classified. I’m shocked even the spacecraft’s existence has been acknowledged.