The Secret Race for Space

Yes, the X-37B is a real, operational spaceplane. It is an uncrewed, reusable vehicle built by Boeing and operated by the United States Space Force.

​Here are some key facts about the X-37B:

• ​Purpose: The official purpose of the X-37B is to test new and emerging space technologies and conduct experiments in orbit. Its ability to return to Earth allows scientists to analyze the effects of long-term space exposure on materials and equipment.

• ​Missions: The X-37B has completed multiple missions, with each one spending an extended period in orbit—often for hundreds of days. It has set records for its long-duration flights.

• ​Secrecy: Many of the details about its missions are classified, which has led to speculation about its exact purpose, with some theories suggesting it could be used for reconnaissance, satellite maintenance, or other military objectives.

• ​Operation: The spaceplane is launched into orbit vertically on a rocket and then lands back on a runway like a traditional airplane, allowing for its reuse in future missions.

​Yes, both Russia and China have developed and are operating their own reusable space vehicles, which can be seen as equivalents to the American X-37B.

​China

​China's equivalent is a secretive reusable space vehicle that has been referred to in media reports as the "Reusable Experimental Spacecraft" or "Chongfu Shiyong Shiyan Hangtian Qi." It is also unofficially associated with the "Shenlong" or "Divine Dragon" spaceplane program.

• ​Similarities to X-37B: Like the X-37B, it launches vertically on a rocket and then lands autonomously on a runway. Its missions are also highly classified, leading to speculation that it is used for similar purposes, such as technology testing and orbital experiments.

• ​Missions: The Chinese spaceplane has completed several orbital flights, with some missions lasting for months and involving the release of unknown objects into orbit, which are being monitored by other space forces.

Russia

​Russia's history with reusable spaceplanes is a bit longer, dating back to the Soviet era with the Buran program.

• ​Buran: The Buran spaceplane was a direct Soviet response to the US Space Shuttle program. It was a larger vehicle designed for crewed missions. It successfully completed one uncrewed orbital flight in 1988 before the program was canceled due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The single Buran orbiter was later destroyed in a hangar collapse.

• ​Modern Programs: Russia's current efforts are focused on developing new generations of reusable spacecraft and rockets. The most well-known of these is the development of the Amur-SPG rocket, a partially reusable, methane-fueled launch vehicle. While not a spaceplane like the X-37B, it represents Russia's shift toward reusable space technology to lower launch costs and remain competitive in the global space industry.