X-37B
When the curtain of night falls over the earth, the universe is slow to reveal its secrets. But even among the stars there are actors who prefer to operate in secret. One of these is the X-37B, an unmanned United States Air Force spacecraft so shrouded in mystery that even the most hardened conspiracy theorists and UFO hunters can only keep their noses glued to the glass and puzzle over it.
The Phantom of the Orbit
Officially declared as a test vehicle for new technologies, the X-37B has raised more questions than answers since its first flight in 2010. This autonomous space glider, which at times looks like a miniature version of the famous space shuttle, is known for its ability to operate in space for long periods of time – sometimes years – and then land autonomously on Earth.
Scientific innovation or military chess game?
The official line is that the X-37B is designed to conduct experiments in a long-term space environment, making it a flying laboratory of sorts. From researching advanced propulsion systems to testing materials in the extreme conditions of space, the space glider provides a platform for experiments that would be almost impossible to realise on Earth.
But beneath this scientific façade, critics and conspiracy theorists murmur about more hidden motives. The secrecy surrounding its missions and capabilities, combined with the military background of its operators, feeds stories of space weapons, spy satellites dueling in orbit and other scenarios that would do credit to a James Bond film.
The technology behind the veil
Despite the cloak of secrecy, it is known that the X-37B is equipped with a solar cell that supplies it with energy for its long-term stays in space. Its ability to land autonomously is revolutionising ideas of spacecraft that traditionally require a lot of human control.
The mystery remains
As the X-37B continues to orbit the Earth, its true nature remains a mystery, shrouded in steel, silicon and layers of secrecy. To science it is a boon, to conspiracy theorists an eternal feast, and to the rest of us mortals another sparkling mystery in the night sky waiting to be unravelled.
