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| X-37B |
The American Space Forces are preparing for the most unusual mission of their mysterious X-37B unmanned spaceplane. This device, which looks like a miniature shuttle, has already demonstrated its capabilities in space seven times, testing secret equipment and maneuvering in orbit so that even satellite specialists could not always keep track of it. Now the eighth, regular mission is launching, and this time it has an ambitious goal: to learn how to navigate in space without the help of GPS.
The launch of the X-37B is scheduled for August 21 from Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The main highlight of the mission is testing advanced quantum sensors and lasers right in space. Why is this important? Because GPS, which we are all so dependent on, can easily be blocked or disabled in the event of a conflict. But quantum sensors based on the fundamental laws of physics can become a completely independent navigation system. They are capable of measuring acceleration and rotation with incredible accuracy, which makes it possible to determine the position and trajectory of the device without looking at any satellites.
If the tests are successful, this will pave the way for the creation of completely new navigation systems that are invulnerable to interference, not only for spacecraft, but also for aircraft, submarines and ground-based equipment. The X-37B, which has already served for more than 10 years and spent almost 10 years in space in total, will once again become a "flying laboratory" for the most daring technological experiments.
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