The Air-force’s Autonomous Space Vehicle

The X-37 is an autonomous reusable space vehicle designed and developed by the Boeing Integrated Defense System (BDS). The vehicle began as a NASA project in 1999 but was then transferred to the United States Department of Defense in 2004. Currently, the project is being operated by the United States Space Force.

The fully autonomous X-37 was designed to be a platform that would explore the future utilization of reusable space technologies and provide and platform for experiments in space. The vehicle would test propulsion systems, re-entry systems, navigation, and guidance systems.

The X-37 was designed with new technologies in thermal protection and advanced autonomous guidance systems. The system is powered by hypergolic nitrogen tetroxide propulsion system and is launched into space by rocket. Although, the true mission of the X-37 spaceplane is kept highly secret, many believe the autonomous space vehicle is a reconnaissance spy plane meant to deter and compete with China which also designed and launched a similar space vehicle.

References

Smith-Strickland, K. (2016). What?s the X-37 doing up there? Retrieved from https://www.airspacemag.com/space/spaceplane-x-37-180957777/

Xinhua. (2020). China's reusable experimental spacecraft back to landing site - Xnhua | english.news.cn. Retrieved from http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-09/06/c_139346803.htm