takeoff of a army house drone for a analysis mission | EUROtoday

Published on : 12/29/2023 – 09:23

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Destination unknown. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket took off on Thursday, December 28, to move the American army house drone X-37B to a analysis mission, introduced the American firm based by Elon Musk.

After weeks of delays, the rocket departed at 8:07 p.m. (0107 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The liftoff was broadcast dwell on the SpaceX web site.

No data was obtainable on the vacation spot of the house drone, an unmanned shuttle, for its seventh mission.

The Pentagon has launched little details about the house drone and its new mission, initially scheduled to start on December 7.

SpaceX merely cites the code identify given by the Pentagon to the mission – USSF-52 – in its press launch on the launch.

“Falcon Heavy launched the USSF-52 mission into orbit from Launch Pad 39A,” in accordance with SpaceX.

A drone constructed for the US Air Force

The Pentagon beforehand introduced that the seventh X-37B mission would function “multiple cutting-edge experiments.”

“These tests include the operation of the reusable space plane in new orbital regimes, the experimentation of future technologies on knowledge of the space domain and the study of the effects of radiation on materials provided by NASA,” in accordance with a press release launched final month by the U.S. Department of the Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office.

The press launch specifies that that is the primary time that the X-37B has been launched by a Falcon Heavy rocket, probably the most highly effective in operation and able to carrying a great deal of as much as 26,700 kg far into house.

Surrounded by the best secrecy, the X-37B made its first flight in 2010 and spent a complete of greater than ten years in house throughout its first six missions, indicated on the finish of its sixth mission in November 2022 its producer, the American plane producer Boeing.

The X-37B was designed for the United States Air Force by United Launch Alliance, a three way partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

It is 9 meters lengthy, has a wingspan of 4.5 meters and is powered by photo voltaic panels.

Its launch by the Falcon Heavy rocket comes two weeks after China positioned its personal house drone, named Shenlong, into orbit on December 14 for what the state company Xinhua known as “a certain period of time” throughout which scientific experiments “intended to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space” might be carried out.

With AFP