View attachment 8623717
The United States Space Force just offered a rare glimpse of its shadowy X-37B space plane in orbit.
The photo, released on Thursday (Feb. 20), was taken by a camera onboard the
X-37B while the secretive space plane orbited high above the African continent. One of the plane's solar panels is visible on the left side of the photo, while what appears to be its open payload bay is visible along the top edge. The vehicle has
been in orbit for well over a year now, having launched on its seventh mission on Dec. 28, 2023
atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
And now, the X-37B has notched another milestone with the Space Force's release of this photo, the first-ever image of this space plane in orbit that has been shown to the public. While the photo contains scant details about the vehicle and what it's currently testing, it offers a look at
Earth far in the background, revealing just how high the vehicle is flying on its seventh mission.
www.youtube.com
