For the first time, a secret U.S. military spaceplane is seen making unusual maneuvers in orbit (video).

Not much is known about the X-37B spaceplane or its missions in orbit. However, the company Boeing, the creator of this secret project, has released a video demonstrating how the United States Space Force's aircraft will perform a unique maneuver to lower its orbit for the first time, as reported by Space.

One of the most classified aircraft in the U.S., the X-37B, is currently orbiting the Earth as part of its seventh mission and is set to execute an aerodynamic braking maneuver soon. It was revealed at the end of October that the X-37B would perform such a maneuver in space for the first time, but neither Boeing, the creator of the spaceplane, nor the U.S. Space Force, which utilizes it for its purposes, provided details on when exactly this maneuver will take place. It is expected that the aerodynamic braking maneuver will be conducted by the X-37B in the near future.

The mysterious spaceplane first launched into space in 2010, and with each new mission, the duration of its flights has increased. At the end of December 2023, the aircraft was placed into an unknown orbit by the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. This marked the beginning of the seventh secret mission of the X-37B, during which, according to reports from the U.S. Space Force, various space technologies are being tested. The specific technologies being tested remain unknown. However, it was previously reported that the U.S. military is using this aircraft to assess the effects of space radiation. Additionally, industry experts had speculated that the military is testing new technologies in orbit to track the movements of any devices in low Earth orbit and observe their activities in space.

Now, it seems that Boeing has decided to make the X-37B a little less mysterious by releasing a video that showcases how the aerodynamic braking of the U.S. spaceplane will occur. It has been revealed that this maneuver is necessary to lower the orbit in which the X-37B is circling the Earth and to dispose of unnecessary equipment before returning home. Specifically, the aircraft needs to safely decommission a service module in a way that does not create new space debris.

When conventional satellites in low Earth orbit need to change their trajectory, meaning they need to lower their orbit, these devices perform one or more engine burns. Such maneuvers require fuel, which means that when the fuel runs out, the satellite either needs to be refueled or retired from service.

However, during the aerodynamic braking process, a significant amount of fuel can be conserved. Instead, the spacecraft utilizes the friction of the Earth's atmosphere to transition to a new orbit. This is precisely what the secret aircraft X-37B is set to do. According to Boeing representatives, the aircraft will gradually descend until it reaches its new orbit.

The video shows an aircraft resembling the X-37B changing its orientation in space during the aerodynamic braking maneuver, with its nose lifted upward away from the Earth, while the lower part of the aircraft is directed forward in the direction of its orbital motion. It is evident that the underside of the aircraft glows orange due to the heat generated from the friction between the aircraft and the Earth's atmosphere. It is this friction that slows down the aircraft.