OTV-6

USA-299, also referred to as USSF-7 and Orbital Test Vehicle 6 (OTV-6), is the third flight of the first Boeing X-37B, an American unmanned vertical-takeoff, horizontal-landing spaceplane. It was launched to low Earth orbit aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle from SLC-41 on 17 May 2020. Its mission designation is part of the USA series.

USA-299

X-37B that conducted OTV-6 shortly after it landed on 12 November 2022
Names	Orbital Test Vehicle 6 OTV-6
Mission type	U.S. Space Force classified satellite
Operator	United States Space Force
COSPAR ID	2020-029A
SATCAT no.	45606
Mission duration	908 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Boeing X-37B
Manufacturer	Boeing
Launch mass	5,400 kg (11,900 lb)[1]
Power	Deployable solar array, batteries
Start of mission
Launch date	17 May 2020, 13:14:00 UTC
Rocket	Atlas V 501 (AV-081)
Launch site	Cape Canaveral, SLC-41
Contractor	United Launch Alliance
End of mission
Landing date	12 November 2022, 10:22 UTC
Landing site	Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 33
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	388 km (241 mi)
Apogee altitude	404 km (251 mi)
Inclination	44.60°
OTV program ← OTV-5 OTV-7 →

The spaceplane is operated by the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office^[2] and United States Space Force, which considers the mission classified and as such has not revealed the objectives. However an unclassified secondary satellite, FalconSat-8, was deployed from the X-37B soon after launch.^[3]

Mission

OTV-6 is the third mission for the first X-37B built, and the sixth X-37B mission overall. It flew on an Atlas V in the 501 configuration, and launched from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41.^[4] This flight is the first time the space plane has been equipped with a service module to carry additional pieces for experiments.

OTV-6 was deployed into an orbit with an inclination of approximately 44.60°.^[5]

OTV-6 landed after a record-breaking 908 days at the Shuttle Landing Facility on November 12, 2022.^[6]

FalconSat-8

A rideshare payload for the United States Air Force Academy, FalconSat-8, was deployed from the X-37B a few days into the mission. The satellite provides a platform for the academy's Cadet Space Operations Squadron to test various technologies.

Onboard experiments include:

• MEP (Magnetic gradient Electrostatic Plasma thruster), a novel electromagnetic propulsion system
• MMA (Metamaterial antenna), a low power, high performance antenna
• CANOE (CArbon NanOtubes Experiment)
• ACES (Attitude Control and Energy Storage), a commercial reaction wheel modified into a flywheel
• SkyPad, off-the-shelf cameras and GPUs integrated into a low power package

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• USA-212
• USA-226