The US military’s top-secret X-37B space plane, which has been orbiting the Earth since December 2023, is using advanced aerobraking maneuvers to lower its orbit and dispose of service module components. The goal is to safely mitigate space debris without burning fuel.
According to Boeing Space, the X-37B is utilizing atmospheric drag to decrease its apogee (the farthest point from the Earth) one pass at a time. This process saves enormous amounts of propellant, making aerobraking an essential technique in space exploration.
The demonstration marks an important milestone for the US Space Force, as it expands knowledge on dynamic operations between orbits. The X-37B, launched on SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, is in its second generation and has been used to test new technologies that reduce risk and inform future space architectures.
Government officials have hailed the aerobraking maneuver as a groundbreaking innovation, praising the dedication and perseverance of the team behind the mission.
Source: https://futurism.com/the-byte/boeing-military-space-plane-aerobreaking-orbit