> "We're not even really sure why the U.S. military is pursuing a space plane." > The U.S. X-37B program remains highly classified. Weeden says he believes it

> "We're not even really sure why the U.S. military is pursuing a space plane." > The U.S. X-37B program remains highly classified. Weeden says he believes it is being used to test new sensors and systems for the military. Maybe looking at Wikipedia is a good place for an aspiring journalist to start: > The mission hosts more experiments than prior X-37B flights, including two NASA experiments. One is a sample plate evaluating the reaction of select materials to conditions in space. The second studies the effect of ambient space radiation on seeds. A third experiment designed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) transforms solar power into radio frequency microwave energy, then studies transmitting that energy to Earth. > The X-37B released a small, 300 pounds (136 kg) satellite named FalconSAT-8 (USA-300) around 28 May 2020... the small satellite carries five experimental payloads. The spacecraft will test a novel electromagnetic propulsion system, low-weight antenna technology and a commercial reaction wheel to provide attitude control in orbit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37#OTV-6_(USSF_7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37#OTV-6_(USSF_7)