"Space Rivals: X-37B's Secretive Orbit and SpaceX's Spectacular Dual Launch"

Boeing and SpaceX have revealed footage of the secretive X-37B spaceplane, operated by the U.S. Space Force, with an extended payload module. The video, part of a montage shown before the latest X-37B launch, depicts the vehicle separating from its launch rocket during the OTV-6 mission in 2020. The X-37B's missions remain largely classified, fueling speculation about their purposes, which could range from intelligence and surveillance to space-based weapons. The recent launch, OTV-7, utilized a Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time, potentially placing the X-37B in a higher orbit and expanding its operational capabilities. Details about the mission are limited, but it is known to include experiments on space domain awareness technologies and the effects of radiation on materials.