Important Innovations

US Air Force's X-37B Spaceplane - Clouded in Mysteries & Missions Successfully Lands After Record Orbit The US Air Force announced that its top secret, experimental spaceplane - the X-37B - just successfully landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in FL after a record flight. The spaceplane has been more than two years - 780 days - in orbital flight.  This is its longest test mission for a group of military technologies.  The X-37B is an experimental, test spaceship.  It was built by Boeing, is operated by the US Air Force and was launched into its latest mission aboard a SpaceX rocket. Clandestine Missions This is the spaceplane's 5th mission.  What the missions have entailed are for the most part a mystery.  They are top secret missions.  But we do know the purpose is to demonstrate new technologies, such as propulsion systems, avionics and spacecraft reentry systems for what the Air Force hopes will be a "reliable, reusable, unmanned s...

Global Space First China's The Chang'e 4 Spacecraft Historic Soft Landing on Far Side of Moon China's The Chang'e 4 spacecraft is set to land on the far side of the Moon between January 1 and January 3.  What a way to ring in the New Year.  This is a first in space exploration and a big win  for China.  No spacecraft has accomplished a soft landing on the far side of the Moon. Rover Onboard The spacecraft is equipped with a rover to explore the lunar surface.  China has launched several relay satellites to allow The Chang'e 4 to communicate with the China Space Agency. Next Space Shot:  The Chang'e 5 This is the second time that China has landed on the moon.  But it's the first time any spacecraft has landed on the far side of the moon.  The Chang'e 4's mission is to study the lunar surface's composition as well as the lunar terrain.  Next mission: The Chang'e 5 that will land on the Moon but also return to the earth with lunar ...