June 19, 2013

Politics

Air Force launches X-37B space plane back into space

BY: CHARLIE SPIERING DECEMBER 11, 2012 | 1:19 PM
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Photo - This March 30, 2010 photo made available by the U.S. Air Force via NASA shows the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle during testing at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. On Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, the Air Force launched the top-secret, unmanned mini-space shuttle from Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/U.S. Air Force via NASA)
This March 30, 2010 photo made available by the U.S. Air Force via NASA shows the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle during testing at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. On Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, the Air Force launched the top-secret, unmanned mini-space shuttle from Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/U.S. Air Force via NASA)

The Air Force successfully launched a X-37B space plane this afternoon at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a Atlas V rocket.

The vehicle  was first launched in 2010 but the secrecy surrounding its mission and capabilities remains.

“The primary objectives of the X-37 are a new batch of reusable technologies for America’s future, plus learning and demonstrating the concept of operations for reusable experimental payloads,” a military spokesman informed reporters in 2010.

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Charlie Spiering

Commentary Staff Writer
The Washington Examiner

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