SpaceX will launch the Air Force’s X-37B experimental spaceplane later this year, in the military’s latest vote of confidence in the Elon Musk-led space company. United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp., has launched the spaceplane’s previous four missions atop one of its Atlas V rockets. The Air Force did not disclose when SpaceX won the contract. The Air Force has two of the spaceplanes, which look like miniature versions of the space shuttle and are known officially as X-37B Orbital Test Vehicles. Since then, SpaceX has won two contracts to launch national security satellites for the Air Force.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 07, 2017 17:56 UTC