First In-Orbit Image Released From Classified X-37 Spaceplane

On Thursday evening, the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs published the first-ever in-orbit image captured by Boeing's X-37 spaceplane, which was shared on the DVIDS website.

USAF Public Affairs described the photo, taken by an onboard camera designed to monitor the X-37's "health and safety," as showing Earth in the distant background during a series of "experiments in a highly elliptical orbit in 2024." 

"As part of the X-37 B's seventh mission, the vehicle executed a series of first-of-its-kind maneuvers, called aerobraking, to safely change its orbit using minimal fuel," the public affairs office said. 

The top-secret spaceplane, built by Boeing and operated by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and the Space Force, has spent years in space quietly conducting classified missions. Its real purpose has yet to be revealed. 

With each successive top-secret mission, the X-37B spends long and longer time in orbit:

• OTV-1: launched on Apr. 22, 2010 and landed on Dec. 3, 2010, spending over 224 days in orbit.

• OTV-2: launched on Mar. 5, 2011 and landed on Jun. 16, 2012, spending over 468 days in orbit.

• OTV-3: launched on Dec. 11, 2012 and landed on Oct. 17, 2014, spending over 674 days in orbit.

• OTV-4: launched on May 20, 2015 and landed on May 7, 2015, spending nearly 718 days in orbit.

• OTV-5: launched on Sept. 7, 2017 and landed on Oct. 27, 2019, spending nearly 780 days in orbit.

• OTV-6: launched on May 17, 2020 and landed on Nov. 12, 2022, spending over 908 days in orbit.

• OTV-7: launched on Dec. 29, 2023 ... still ongoing... 

In the age of DOGE, perhaps it's time for the Space Force to provide more color on the spaceplane's objectives to determine if the return on investment for taxpayers is truly justified.