The U.S. Air Force's record-setting Boeing X-37B unmanned spacecraft has set another record - this one for its achievements over the past decade.
The space endurance records set by the small but tough unmanned spacecraft has won the Robert J. Collier Trophy awarded by the National Aeronautic Association. The award was presented to the Orbital Test Vehicle Team from Boeing and the U.S. Air Force.
Since 1911 the trophy has been awarded annually for "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America with respect to improving the performance, efficiency and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year."
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is a reusable, multipurpose spacecraft designed for vertical launch to low Earth orbit. Since the first OTV mission in April 2010 the X-37B has successfully performed long-duration space technology testing.
"The X-37B team win of the 2019 National Aeronautic Association's Robert J. Collier Trophy exemplifies the kind of lean, agile and innovative technological development our nation needs to secure its interests," U.S. Space Force chief of space operations Gen. John Raymond said.
The ability of the X-37B to test new systems in space and return them to Earth is unique and allows the U.S. to more efficiently and effectively develop space power to maintain superiority in that domain, Gen. Raymond said.
As the world's only autonomous, reusable space plane the X-37B continues to contribute to science's understanding of both space and air flight, National Aeronautic Association chairman Jim Albaugh said.
Finalists for the 2019 award included the updated Hubble Space Telescope, the "high-performance electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicle Project Heaviside, the latest version of the Airborne Collision Avoidance System, the Bombardier Global 7500, Gulfstream G500 and G600 business jets and the Magni500 electric propulsion system.
The X-37B has conducted six missions since 2010. In 2019, it set a 780-day on-orbit endurance mission - breaking its own previous record of 718 days. The X-37B has spent 2,865 days in space and traveled more than 1 billion miles in orbit, the Air Force said.
The 2018 award was won by the lifesaving Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System team which included the Air Force Research Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, the F-35 Joint Program Office and NASA.
