Mon Mar 10 12:55:43 UTC 2025: ## Secret US Military Space Shuttle Returns to Earth After 434 Days
**Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA –** The U.S. military’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7, a classified mini space shuttle, landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 7th, concluding a 434-day secret mission. Launched by SpaceX from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in December 2023, the unmanned spacecraft carried out undisclosed military experiments.
The landing, which occurred before dawn, wasn’t publicly announced until hours later. Photos released by the U.S. Space Force depict the white-and-black space plane on the runway. This marks the seventh flight of an X-37B vehicle, and according to Space Force officials, the mission successfully tested a new orbital maneuvering technique utilizing atmospheric drag to reduce speed and conserve fuel.
Lt. Col. Blaine Stewart, the program director, hailed the mission as “an exciting new chapter in the X-37B program.” The reusable space planes, built by Boeing, have previously spent up to 908 days in orbit. Measuring 9 meters long with a 4.5-meter wingspan, the X-37B program continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and military technology.
First Piper 