---
title: "The Space Force Is About to Launch a Mysterious Spacecraft"
description: "On May 16, the U.S. Space Force will launch a mysterious X-37B space plane on its second-ever mission, which officials say will help NASA conduct research."
date: "2020-05-07"
modified: "2020-05-07"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-force-launch-mysterious-spacecraft"
categories:
  - "Space"
  - "Space Force"
tags:
  - "space"
  - "space force"
  - "the digest"
  - "x-37b"
---

# The Space Force Is About to Launch a Mysterious Spacecraft

![On May 16, the U.S. Space Force will launch a mysterious X-37B space plane on its second-ever mission, which officials say will help NASA conduct research.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Space-Force-About-Launch-Mysterious-Spacecraft.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Michael Stonecypher/US Air Force\</em\>*

## Behind The Curtain

Officials from the U.S. Space Force announced Wednesday that the military branch will launch a new mission on May 16 — using the mysterious [X-37B space plane](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/amateur-astronomer-military-space-plane-orbit>) to do so, which has spent [years at a time](<https://futurism.com/air-force-space-plane-theories>) in orbit without any public-facing explanation.

The X-37B will be ferrying a scientific research satellite into orbit, *[CNET ](<https://www.cnet.com/news/space-forces-next-launch-will-send-the-x-37b-space-plane-on-a-new-mission/>)*[reports](<https://www.cnet.com/news/space-forces-next-launch-will-send-the-x-37b-space-plane-on-a-new-mission/>), which will conduct experiments for other branches of the military and NASA.

## Science Vessel

There are two research projects that the satellite, FalconSat-8, will be conducting once the space plane carries it into orbit, *CNET* reports.

NASA will be sending plant seeds into space to study the effects of [cosmic radiation](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-sending-dummies-moon-test-cosmic-radiation>), and the Naval Research Laboratory is sending instruments intended to convert solar energy [into microwaves](<https://futurism.com/china-solar-power-station-space>) that can be [beamed to the ground](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/air-froce-beam-solar-power-earth>) and used as a power source.

"This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments," Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director Randy Walden [said in a press release](<http://futurism.com%20beam%20energ>).

## Round Two

While the upcoming launch will be the sixth mission — over the course of a decade — for the X-37B, it's only the second-ever Space Force mission.

The [first mission](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/us-space-force-leave-planet>) helped complete a military communication network, making this the first foray into basic scientific research for the nascent military branch.

**READ MORE:** [Space Force's next launch will send the X-37B space plane on a new mission](<https://www.cnet.com/news/space-forces-next-launch-will-send-the-x-37b-space-plane-on-a-new-mission/>) \[*CNET*\]

**More on the X-37B:** *[What Was the Air Force’s Secret Space Plane Doing in Orbit for 779 Days?](<https://futurism.com/air-force-space-plane-theories>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)