This X-37B, designated OTV-3, was launched by the United States Air Force in December 2012 to carry out classified missions, primarily to collect relevant data for the military. The specific unit executing this mission is the 3rd Space Experiment Squadron based at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado.
This X-37B was launched into orbit by an Atlas 5 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and is scheduled to land and return at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, though the specific date has not yet been disclosed.
The previous record for time in orbit was 469 days, set by its sister craft, OTV-2, during its last mission. The first flight of the X-37B was completed by OTV-1 in 2010, which remained in orbit for 225 days.
The X-37B program is managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. As NASA's budget shrinks, the US military continues to expand its space missions and capabilities.
The Boeing X-37B is about one-quarter the size of a NASA space shuttle, measuring approximately 29 feet in length and weighing about 11,000 pounds, serving as a test platform for the military to conduct classified space experiments.
