The U.S. military’s secretive X-37B space plane has begun advanced aerobraking maneuvers to adjust its orbit, using atmospheric drag instead of fuel to gradually lower its altitude.

Launched on its seventh mission in December 2023, the X-37B has been orbiting Earth in a highly elliptical path.

This maneuver saves propellant and extends mission durations.

The space plane, developed by Boeing for the U.S. Department of Defense, conducts experimental research, such as studying space radiation effects, Newsweek has reported.

The aerobraking achievement is seen as a major milestone for the Space Force, highlighting the potential for extending space missions without heavy fuel usage.

Written by B.C. Begley