(Original title: SpaceX Successfully Launches U.S. Air Force Unmanned Spacecraft, Recycling Falcon 9)
News reporter Wang Yiyue Chen Yuxi
Late at night on September 7, Beijing time, SpaceX successfully launched the U.S. Air Force’s experimental unmanned spacecraft X-37B, marking SpaceX as the first launch service provider to complete this mission except for the United Launch Alliance.
The success of this successful launch for SpaceX is of great significance because it will help it obtain more orders from the US Department of Defense in the future.
The X-37B launch site is located at the Kennedy Space Center and is powered by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. After the orbital test vehicle X-37B was successfully launched, the first stage propeller of the Falcon 9 was returned to the earth and recovered as originally planned. The goal of this launch is to finish before the arrival of Hurricane Irma and they have succeeded.
The unmanned spacecraft X-37B was launched before Hurricane "Elma" arrived
The specific mission of the X-37B was not disclosed to the public. It was only known that it would “experiment†after launch. The last task it accomplished was to fly around the Earth for two years and return to the surface of the Earth in May this year.
The X-37B is the first U.S. unmanned spacecraft developed by the U.S. Boeing Company. It is owned by the U.S. Air Force and is characterized by its reusability. Its purpose is to test new technologies in space flight and return experimental results.
When taking off, the X-37B needs to be launched by a rocket or launched by a large aircraft. It can fly continuously in space for more than one year. It can use the runway to land like a normal airplane on the return journey. It can automatically return to the ground when it finishes its mission. The prototype of the future "space fighter".
As for the purpose of this launch, it is to prove that SpaceX can become a new launch option. Boeing said this will help ensure the flexibility and sustainability of the X-37B.
In June, SpaceX received an order from the US Air Force. US Air Force Secretary-General Heather Wilson said at the US Senate Armed Committee hearing on June 7: “The X-37B will carry SpaceX in August. Falcon 9 rocket returned to space."
For SpaceX, the completion of this mission marked the 16th successful use and recovery of the Falcon 9 rocket. In October of this year, the next task that SpaceX will perform is to reuse the retreaded propeller EchoStar 105 to complete the SES-11 mission. The thruster EchoStar 105 was used for the first time in the successful completion of the CRS-10 International Space Station resupply mission in February this year.
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