X-37B Space Plane
The U.S. Air Force's Top-Secret Unmanned Orbital Spacecraft (2010)
Production Run: 2012-2015
Production Run: 2012-2015
About the Design
The X-37B is a reusable space plane used by the U.S. Air Force to conduct long-term orbital missions of a (so-far) classified nature. The X-37B is built by Boeing's Phantom Works division, which began developing the craft in 1999. Development was taken over by the U.S. Department of Defense in 2004.
The first flight of the X-37B began on April 22, 2010 and lasted until December 3, 2010. The second flight launched on March 5, 2011 and lasted until June 16, 2012. Although similar in design to the now-retired U.S. Space Shuttle, the X37-B is unusual in many ways. One of the most obvious is its off center-line engine bell, which suggests it carries a highly asymmetrical payload. |
About the Kit
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What You Get