The Boeing X-37B remains one of the most secretive spacecraft in history. Despite having completed seven very long-duration space missions, which can last over 900 days, its exact activities remain officially unexplained, aside from vague references to "orbital experiments."
Throughout all its flights, with the first launch occurring on April 22, 2010, the Pentagon has not released any photographs from the spacecraft. However, this changed when the U.S. Space Force published an image taken from the X-37B's onboard camera, which is used for what they describe as "ensuring the operability and safety" of the X-37B.
It is noted that the photo was taken in 2024 while in a highly elliptical orbit during the seventh mission, which began on December 29, 2023, and is still ongoing. It is known that this mission involved performing aerodynamic braking to alter the orbital parameters by entering the atmosphere, resulting in significant fuel savings. Additionally, this was the first instance where the X-37B was launched by SpaceX's Falcon Heavy instead of the Atlas V.
At the same time, the photo itself remains rather uninformative. It shows the internal compartment of the X-37B and the solar panel that the spacecraft deploys in space. The image of Earth merely indicates that it was taken from a considerable distance, definitely beyond low Earth orbit.
It should be noted that the secrecy surrounding the X-37B has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories. Even the sight of the spacecraft after landing, surrounded by technicians in protective suits, piques interest. This is likely due to the potentially toxic nature of its fuel components.
Currently, the X-37B is the smallest reusable spacecraft. It measures 8.92 meters in length with a wingspan of 4.55 meters. Its total launch weight is nearly 5 tons, of which about 23 kg is the payload housed in a cargo bay measuring 2.1 by 1.2 meters. It is known that there are currently two X-37B units that fly in succession, with the second specimen currently in orbit.