The launch of the Air Force’s X-37B space plane last night was successful and the X-37B is now in orbit:

As this article points out, “The unpiloted craft will carry out the first autonomous re-entry and landing in the history of the US space programme.” This article has lots more information.

The mystery around this vehicle remains. As mentioned in this post…

Stuff that makes you go Hmmm #8 – The X-37B secret space plane

But as you read that you wonder again, why? If the Air Force needs the ability to rapidly (in hours or days) launch satellites, or if it wants to drop bombs from space, or if it wants to take out enemy satellites while they are in orbit, or if it wants to do reconnaissance, there is no need for a vehicle to fly home and land like an airplane. If, for example, you want to loft a satellite, then putting that satellite in a space plane seems to make no sense – the space plane is just 10,000 pounds of dead weight that flies home empty.

The mystery prompts questions, as seen in this video:

More info:
- How the Multiple Kill Vehicle works
- The THAAD Missile
- U.S. Aircraft Carriers are incredibly vulnerable to attack