X-37B Breaks Records, Brings Home Experiments

Boeing and the U.S. Department of the Air Force – which now includes the Space Force – have a long, intertwined history together, enabling the highest priority national defense missions.

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle represents the pinnacle of that partnership.

Since the X-37B first launched in 2010, Boeing has augmented the reusable spaceplane with more capability, new technology, and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with each ensuing mission.

The orbital test vehicle completed its sixth mission with a successful landing at Kennedy Space Center on November 12, 2022.

It spent more than 900 days on orbit during this mission, breaking its previous endurance record while completing experiments for a number of partners, including NASA, the Naval Research Laboratory, and the Air Force Academy.

It was carrying a service module for the very first time, allowing it to haul more payload. That capability creates more opportunities for partners to run space-based tests, bring the results back to Earth, and derive findings that will benefit important research efforts. Check out this video to learn more!

As the X-37B continues supporting the United Sates efforts to better understand space, with the goal of improving our life on Earth, Boeing continues to invest in technology across its broad portfolio, from the seabed to outer space, to make the world a better place.

By: Shannon Pollock and Zeyad Maasarani