US Air Force set to launch another mysterious ‘spy’ plane into SPACE tonight for classified mission using Elon Musk’s rocket

SpaceX is set to launch the US Air Force's “spy” space plane on Monday evening in another secret mission.

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to lift off at 8:14 PM ET from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

This will be the secretive X-37B's seventh mission since its debut in 2010, and most of the vehicle's payload is classified.

Some experts have speculated that the USSF vehicle is being used to carry out espionage missions, monitor Chinese space operations, or test reconnaissance systems.

The X-37B could theoretically carry weapons into space, perhaps to defend US satellites against anti-satellite weapons.

China and Russia accused the US government of using the plane as a bomber.

This unmanned vehicle has been carrying out a range of secret missions for the military group since 2010, allowing the group to test new technologies in space.

Previous missions have shown that the X-37B is a military workshop for new space technologies.

The X-37B can make subtle changes to its orbit, adjusting its direction in a way that is difficult for observers to detect.

The plane was powered by solar cells equipped with lithium-ion batteries, and was orbiting at an altitude of about 200 miles.

In 2015, the U.S. Air Force Certain The vehicle was being used to test a new electric propulsion system.

This time, the X-37B mission will include a “broad range of test and experimental objectives,” according to the USSF official. statement.

The X-37B spaceplane will go into Earth orbit wearing the USSF insignia for the first time

The Falcon Heavy rocket can carry a much heavier payload into space than a Falcon 9 or Atlas V rocket. This indicates that the X-37B will fly at a higher altitude than during previous missions

“These tests include operating the reusable spaceplane in new orbital systems, experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies, and investigating the effects of radiation on materials provided by NASA.”

According to a statement provided to SpaceFlightNow by the USSF, the Falcon Heavy launch marks a new era for the vehicle — which previously launched on Falcon 9 or Atlas V, both of which have much smaller payload capabilities.

“The use of the Falcon Heavy rocket will extend the X-37B's flight envelope, launch into a new orbital regime and provide unique experimental opportunities for the X-37B,” USSF He said.

The launch was initially scheduled to take place on Sunday evening, but the launch was postponed for 24 hours. It's not clear why the launch was delayed, but SpaceX provided an update on Sunday from its X (formerly Twitter) account:

“We are now targeting Monday, December 11 for the Falcon Heavy launch for the USSF-52 mission, with weather conditions expected to improve to 70% suitable for liftoff on Monday evening. The team will use the time to complete additional pre-launch verifications.

Although details of the X-37B's orbit and activities are classified documents It seems to confirm that it will take a different path than in the past.

In addition to its secret payload, the X-37B orbital test vehicle will carry an experiment to track the effects of space radiation on seeds.

The first mission in 2010 lasted 224 days, the second a year later lasted 468 days, and the mission that ended in 2019 took a total of 780 days.