Photos: Air Force's 2nd Secretive X-37B Space Plane Flight

By Space.com Staff
published

Aft and Mid APAS X-37B Configurations

AIAA/Grantz/Boeing

These designs from a Boeing study show configuration for a crewed space plane (X-37C) derived from the unmanned X-37B spacecraft. The designs could carry up to six astronauts to low-Earth orbit and include autonomous and piloted flight capabilities.

X-37B Size Comparison

AIAA/Grantz/Boeing

This size chart shows how the Boeing-built X-37B robot space plane compares to NASA's space shuttle, a larger version of the spacecraft called the X-37C and an Atlas 5 rocket.

X-37B Derivatives

AIAA/Grantz/Boeing

This Boeing graphic depicts the steady evolution of the robotic X-37B space plane design into a larger vehicle that could potentially carry astronauts. The process incrementally retires risk as capabilities increase, according to Boeing officials.

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.