A occult spacecraft has been orbiting the Earth for the past 720 days , and only the US Air Force knows why .
This is the fifth mission of the X-37B blank space woodworking plane , an uncrewed and solar - power military laggard . The Orbital Test Vehicle 5 ( OTV-5 ) mission launched way back on September 7 , 2017 , with the help of a SpaceX Falcon 9 skyrocket .
On the fourth mission – Orbital Test Vehicle 4 ( OTV-4 ) – it remain in orbit for 717 years , 20 hours , and 42 minutes , which it has now pass by , with no details yet on when the mission may end .
The fourth flight of the fomite , landing smoothly .
The mission objective of the space plane – alike in purpose to NASA ’s space shuttles – have remained a nearly guarded secret . The Air Force is rigorous - lipped about the plane , leaving people to speculate it ’s doing anything fromputting spy satellites into orbittotesting out an EmDrive in blank .
Do n’t get your hopes up too much on that EmDrive by the direction .
When the craftiness set in motion , conspiracy theorists suggested it could be a " space bomber " , a full seven years before Trump even createdSpace Force . The possibility was speedily subdue by experts , who point out how change a spacecraft ’s orbital planerequires a mint of thrustthat would consume up its limited fuel supply highly quickly . fundamentally it would be useless at rack up any targets that did n’t happen to already be on its flight of steps path .
Another theory from Spaceflight magazine is thatit ’s a undercover agent plane .
As merriment as those explanation are , they are improbable . The Air Force ’s official account does n’t give away too much , either .
" The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle , or OTV , is an experimental test programme to demonstrate technology for a honest , reusable , unmanned space trial chopine for the US Air Force , " the Air Force said in astatement .
" The primary objectives of the X-37B are twofold ; reusable space vehicle technologies for America ’s future in space and operating experiments which can be returned to , and examined , on Earth .
" technology being tested in the course of study admit advanced guidance , piloting and command , caloric protection systems , avionics , high - temperature structures and seals , conformal recyclable insulation , lightweight electromechanical flight systems , advanced propulsion systems , advance materials and autonomous orbital flight , reentry and landing place . "
For now , you ’ll either have to go for the official explanation , or just get comfortable with the knowledge that there ’s a mystical space trailer flying high above our forefront , and only the US military sleep together why .
