Boeing engineer John Ealy states, 'When we aerobrake, we utilize atmospheric drag to effectively step down our apogee one pass at a time until we get to the orbital regime that we want to be in. When we do this, we save enormous amounts of propellant, and that's really why aerobraking is important.' This highlights the effectiveness of aerobraking in conserving energy for space missions.
The Pentagon has not revealed the main function of the X-37B, but it is expected to conduct experiments related to 'space domain awareness technologies,' which potentially involves tracking other objects in orbit.
The X-37B spacecraft performed a groundbreaking maneuver that marks the first use of aerobraking by Boeing. This technique utilizes atmospheric drag to gradually change the spacecraft's orbit while conserving propellant.
The X-37B is conducting crucial experiments for NASA on its seventh mission, which began on December 29, 2023, and showcases the innovative aerobraking procedure that differs from traditional methods.
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