The Boeing X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle is an American unmanned spaceplane. It is operated by the U.S. Air Force for orbital spaceflight missions intended to demonstrate reusable space technologies. The X-37 is a reusable robotic spacecraft that is a 120 percent scaled derivative of the X-40A.
The X-37 began as a NASA project in 1999, then was transferred to the US Department of Defense in 2004. It had its first flight as a drop test on April 7, 2006, at Edwards AFB. The spaceplane's first orbital mission, USA-212 was launched on April 22, 2010 using an Atlas V rocket. Its return to Earth on December 3, 2010 was the first test of the vehicle's heat shield and hypersonic aerodynamic handling.
The U.S. Air Force announced on November 30, 2010 that the X-37 is to return for a landing during the December 3-6 timeframe. That landing occurred at 1:16 am PST (0916 UTC) on December 3, 2010 at Vandenberg AFB.
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