AIRCRAFT PROGRAM
| Lift type | Fixed wing | ||
| Construction type | Factory-built | ||
| Control type | Autonomous | ||
| Engine type | Rocket | ||
| Application | Experimental, Passenger small, Utility | ||
| Search for other aircraft programs with these properties on the Aircraft Programs directory page. | |||
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Low-earth orbit, unmanned, reusable spacecraft used to demonstrate reusable space advancements, requires launch vehicle to exit atmosphere then can re-enter and land as a spaceplane (upon re-entry, vehicle is capable of Mach 25). DARPA involvement reflects potential military applications.
| Variant | Launch/First flight | Production end | |
| NASA/Boeing X-40A | / 1998 | 2001 | Space Maneuver Vehicle, 80%-90% subscale variant to assist X-37A testing, towed aloft by UH-60/CH-47D. |
| NASA/DARPA X-37A | 1999 / 2006 | 2010 | Test glider vehicle launched with Scaled Composites' WhiteKnight, glide testing only (spaceflight not achieved), NASA transferred development to DARPA in 2004 then DARPA transferred to U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) (current project overseer). Formerly known as Future-X Pathfinder. |
| Boeing X-37B | 2006 / 2010 | Orbital Test Vehicle, launched initially with Atlas V or Falcon 9 rockets (spaceflight achieved), latest mission used a Falcon Heavy rocket. | |
| Boeing X-37C | 2011 / | Theorised 165-180% scaled-up variant, with capacity for up to six astronauts. |
View full news archive for the Boeing X-37.
See recent updates (latest 26/02/2025)
| Boeing Defense, Space & Security | News | X-37B variant |
Other aircraft programs: Boeing 737, Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Boeing CH-47 Chinook, Boeing AH-64 Apache, Leonardo AW139, Sikorsky S-97 Raider, Boeing AH-6/Unmanned Little Bird, Boeing T-7A Red Hawk, Boeing MQ-25 Stingray
| Boeing Phantom Works | Analysis | News | Research/Consulting Services: Selected by NASA to manufacture / develop inital variants (X-37A/40A) |
| NASA Ames Research Center | Analysis | News | Research/Consulting Services: Part of government development team (X-37A) |
| NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center | Analysis | Research/Consulting Services: (X-37A) |
| NASA Langley Research Center | Analysis | News | Research/Consulting Services: Part of government development team (X-37A) |
| NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center | Analysis | Testing Services: (X-37A) |
