What do you know about the new space plane

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The U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane has achieved a record 675 days in orbit during its fourth mission, surpassing the previous record of 674 days. The mission, known as Orbital Test Vehicle-4 (OTV-4), remains shrouded in secrecy, with most activities and payloads classified. There is skepticism about the solar cells' capacity to power the craft effectively. The X-37B requires a rocket for launch, highlighting its reliance on traditional space launch methods. Overall, details about the space plane's operations and future plans remain largely undisclosed.
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<Incorrect link deleted. See post below.>
For a start the solar cells do not look big enough to power the craft.
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
http://www.livescience.com/58415-x-...ter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20170327-ls

Here is the proper link.

The ongoing mission of the U.S. Air Force's robotic X-37B space plane is now the longest in the clandestine program's history.

As of today (March 25), the X-37B has spent 675 days on its latest Earth-circling mission, which is known as Orbital Test Vehicle-4 (OTV-4). The previous record was 674 days, set during OTV-3, which lasted from December 2012 to October 2014.

It's unclear what the new duration record will end up being; most X-37B activities and payloads are classified, and the Air Force has historically been tight-lipped about landing plans. [The X-37B's Fourth Mystery Mission in Photos]
 
It's not really a spaceplane. It still has to be launched on the tip of a rocket. Otherwise, none of us know much because nearly everything about it is classified.
 
Due to the constant never ending supply of "cool stuff" happening in Aerospace these days I'm creating this thread to consolidate posts every time something new comes along. Please feel free to add random information if its relevant. So to start things off here is the SpaceX Dragon launch coming up shortly, I'll be following up afterwards to see how it all goes. :smile: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacex/
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