SpaceX is gearing up to launch the United States Space Force’s experimental X-37b unmanned space plane, with the targeted launch date set for Wednesday, December 13. Originally scheduled for Monday, the launch was delayed due to an unspecified “ground side issue.” The mission, code-named USSF-52, will take place at Cape Canaveral in Florida and is planned to be executed using SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket.

Built by Boeing, the X-37b project has been shrouded in secrecy, but it is known to be an unmanned and reusable space plane designed to carry out various science experiments. This mission marks the X-37b’s seventh test mission, and notably, it is the first time it will orbit using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.

보잉이 제작한 X-37b 프로젝트는 비밀에 싸여 있지만 다양한 과학 실험을 수행하기 위해 설계된 재사용 가능한 무인 우주비행기로 알려져 있다. 이번 임무는 X-37b의 일곱 번째 테스트 임무이며, 특히 SpaceX Falcon Heavy를 사용하여 궤도를 비행하는 것은 이번이 처음입니다.

The delayed launch, attributed to a ground-side issue, was originally scheduled for the summer but has now been rescheduled for no earlier than December 13 at 8:13 p.m. Eastern time. The specific details of the mission remain undisclosed, reflecting the classified nature of the X-37b program.

If successful, this mission could pave the way for future collaborations between SpaceX and the U.S. Space Force, potentially expanding capabilities for sending missions to more distant points from Earth — This becomes particularly relevant as space exploration evolves, with the prospect of establishing crewed moon bases by various countries in the near future.

만약 성공한다면, 이 임무는 SpaceX와 미국 우주군 사이의 향후 협력을 위한 길을 열어 잠재적으로 지구에서 더 먼 지점으로 임무를 보내는 능력을 확장할 수 있습니다. 이는 유인 달 기지 건설 가능성과 함께 우주 탐사가 발전함에 따라 특히 관련성이 높아집니다. 가까운 장래에 다양한 국가에서.

As SpaceX continues to play a significant role in advancing space exploration capabilities, the X-37b’s mission with the Falcon Heavy represents another milestone in the partnership between private space companies and governmental space agencies.

SpaceX가 우주 탐사 기능을 발전시키는 데 계속해서 중요한 역할을 수행함에 따라 Falcon Heavy와 함께 X-37b의 임무는 민간 우주 회사와 정부 우주 기관 간의 파트너십에 또 다른 이정표를 나타냅니다.