The space agency SpaceX is ready for a new mission. Now Elon Musk’s company is launching Tuesday night Secret X-37B orbital plane The United States Air Force and Space Force have the Falcon Heavy rocket, the most powerful rocket in operation, at least until Starship is ready to take its place.
take off is set up 2.24 Spanish Peninsular Time From NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch, originally scheduled for Spanish dawn on Monday, December 11, was delayed “due to a problem on the ground,” which could indicate a lag in the rocket’s launch pad or fuel systems, SpaceX announced. Twitter -.
However, everything indicates that this new take-off date will not be postponed and will in fact be satisfactory. “Weather is 85% favorable,” noted SpaceX X, adding that the mission will be broadcast 15 minutes before liftoff on the company’s website.
What missions does the X-37B perform?
The reusable space plane, which resembles a small NASA space shuttle with blacked-out windows, is ready for takeoff. Seventh test task. Although the missions of the X-37B are common classifiedOn this occasion the US Special Forces have described some of their missions.
For example, General B. The spaceflight will enable the U.S. to conduct experiments to better understand how to improve current and future space operations, as well as “broaden the boundaries of what’s possible,” according to Chance’s statement. Saltzman, chief of space operations for the US Space Force.
Research on board will include a NASA experiment aimed at finding new ways to sustain astronauts on future deep space missions. in the name of Seeds-2It will “expose plant seeds to the harsh radiation environment of long-duration spaceflight” and build on previous research conducted on the X-37B missions.
The experiments “include operating a reusable spacecraft in new orbital regimes, testing future space field awareness technologies, and studying the effects of radiation on NASA-delivered materials.” According to the US Space Force.
The launch was the first time a space plane had traveled aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy, which was briefly the world’s most powerful operational rocket after its debut in 2018, but it won’t be the ship’s first time in space. During this time, X-37B accumulates total 3,774 days in space Since its first launch in April 2010, previous missions have helped the drone test photovoltaic and ground-based energy transfer technologies, study the effects of space exposure on organic matter and another spacecraft.
As for Falcon Heavy, the rocket ship has flown eight times to date, including four launches this year. Its last mission was in October, when it launched NASA’s Psych probe to the asteroid of the same name.
