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Anything in orbit can (and is) actively tracked by amateur and professionnal astronomers around the world. The secret aspect of the X37B plane is it's mission. Nobody knows what it was doing up there. Hypotheses range from carrying weapons, spying, or doing experiments. In any case, it is certainly also used as propaganda, a show of strength.


And I believe even the pro trackers lost it at least once, until it was rediscovered by accident. Which adds intrigue.

Not counting foreign intelligence, obviously.


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A reasonable theory, given that weapon strikes from orbit are extremely subtle and stealthy, and matches have not been invented yet.


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I know that when I secretly test weapons, I do it in a way that makes sure the effects will be in the news 24 hours a day for weeks and months.


Version 1:

"Did it work?"

"We, uh, dunno. We can't find what it hit."

Version 2:

"Did it work?"

<Turns on CNN> "Yup."


Kind of a shit weapon if you have no idea what you are hitting with it innit.


Some people believe the Earth is flat, too.


>Anything in orbit can (and is) actively tracked by amateur and professionnal astronomers around the world.

Indeed, I follow a guy on twitter that has photographed it.

Quickest link I could find to one of the photos https://www.space.com/x-37b-space-plane-skywatcher-photo.htm...

And here is his account where he also has photos of stuff like the ISS https://twitter.com/ralfvandebergh


Agreed with you regarding a show of strength. I can imagine that any release of information is carefully calibrated. After all, the picture in the article with men in spacesuits circling the aircraft is pretty cool. I doubt this is a "leaked" pic...




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