An artist's illustration of the U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane in orbit. The solar-powered winged spacecraft, part of the military's secret OTV-3 mission, launched in December 2012. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center<\/p>\n
The U.S. Air Force's mysterious unmanned space plane has winged beyond 600 days in orbit on a classified military mission that seems to have no end. <\/p>\n
The X-37B space plane is carrying out the Orbital Test Vehicle-3 (OTV-3) mission, a long-duration cruise that marks the third flight for the unpiloted Air Force spaceflight program. <\/p>\n
The Air Force launched the miniature space shuttle into orbit on Dec. 11, 2012 using an expendable Atlas 5 rocket. By Sept. 1, the space plane had spent 630 days in orbit. That's one year, eight months, 22 days and counting, to be exact. <\/p>\n
\"The Air Force continues to push the envelope of the solar-powered X-37B capabilities,\" said Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. [Amateur Skywatcher Spots X-37B Space Plane (Video)] <\/p>\n
A secretive space plane <\/p>\n
The reusable X-37B looks like a mini version of NASA's now-retired space shuttle. This space plane is 29 feet (8.8 meters) long and 9.5 feet (2.9 m) tall, and has a wingspan of nearly 15 feet (4.6 m). <\/p>\n
The X-37B's payload bay is the size of a pickup truck bed. In contrast, NASA's space shuttle payload bay could fit two X-37B space planes comfortably inside. At liftoff, the X-37B space plane weighs 11,000 lbs. (4,990 kilograms). <\/p>\n
The key to the X-37B's longevity in space rests with its ability to use solar panels to generate power., the solar panels extend the craft's longevity. [How the X-37B Space Plane Works (Infographic)] <\/p>\n
\"While far above the longevity of any other reusable spacecraft, it is far below that of most U.S. satellites, which are built to last for years, even decades,\" Johnson-Freese told Space.com. \"That certainly confirms the broad, officially stated goal of the X-37B as a test bed vehicle.\" <\/p>\n
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Secret space plane passes 600 days in orbit<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" An artist's illustration of the U.S. Continue reading