The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) has been shrouded in mystery since its maiden flight in 2011. Designed by Boeing and operated by the U.S. Space Force (USSF), this remotely operated, reusable space plane is designed to operate in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), 240 to 800 km (150 to 500 mi) above the Earth, and test reusable vehicle technologies that support long-term space objectives. On December 29th, 2023, the X-37B began its seventh mission (OTV-7) and has reportedly been conducting experiments on the effects of space radiation and testing Space Domain Awareness (SDA) technologies. As part of this mission, the X-37B will soon begin executing a series of novel maneuvers to change its orbit around Earth. These maneuvers will consist of the spacecraft brushing against Earth’s upper atmosphere to shed speed and lower its orbit without expending much fuel—a technique known as “aerobraking.” This is the first time the X-37B has performed such a maneuver, which will help it evade detection by potentially hostile nations and perform undetected low passes over Earth during future missions. According to a statement by the USSF, this latest maneuver leverages six successful missions in LEO and decades of lessons learned from missions to the Moon and Mars. In 1997, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) orbiter used its solar panels as “wings” to control its passage through Mars’ tenuous upper atmosphere and lower its orbit over several months. More recently, aerobraking has been used by the Mars Odyssey in 2001, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2006, and the ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter in 2017-2018. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle taxiing on the flightline on March 30th, 2010, at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: USAF “This novel and efficient series of maneuvers demonstrates the Space Force’s commitment to achieving groundbreaking innovation as it conducts national security missions in space,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. “This first-of-a-kind maneuver from the X-37B is an incredibly important milestone for the United States Space Force as we seek to expand our aptitude and ability to perform in this challenging domain,” added Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. “The success is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the team.” Beyond these experiments, very little is known about the X-37B’s capabilities and purpose. However, during the Aspen Security Forum in 2019, former U.S. Air Force (USAF) Secretary Heather Wilson explained how the X-37B capabilities allow it to avoid detection, saying: “[The X-37B is] fascinating [because it] can do an orbit that looks like an egg and, when it’s close to the Earth, it’s close enough to the atmosphere to turn where it is. Which means our adversaries don’t know – and that happens on the far side of the Earth from our adversaries – where it’s going to come up next. And we know that that drives them nuts. And I’m really glad about that.” As Jonathan McDowell – an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics – told Military.com in an interview at the time: “[Wilson’s comments may shed light on] a previously secret orbit-related capability. The dip into the atmosphere causes a change in the timing of when it next comes overhead. So [trackers’] predictions are off, and [they] have to search for it all over again. Even a timing change makes more work for [adversaries] than just being able to use the existing orbital prediction.” Once the aerobrake maneuver is complete, the X-37B will resume its tests and experiments until they are fulfilled. As the USSF indicated before the launch of the OTV-7 mission, these tests include operating in new orbital regimes, experimenting with future SDA technologies, and investigating the radiation effects on plant seeds provided by NASA – the “Seeds-2” experiment. The spacecraft will also eject some of its service module components in accordance with recognized standards for space debris mitigation. At this point, the vehicle will de-orbit and return to Earth as it has during its six previous missions. Further Reading: Live Science, USSF The post Space Force’s X-37B will Perform “Never Before-Seen Maneuvers” in Orbit appeared first on Universe Today.

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Learning a new skill, such as playing an instrument, gardening or picking up a new language, takes a lot of time and practice, whether that means scale training, learning about native plants or using flashcards to memorize new words.To improve through practice, you have to perform the task repeatedly while also receiving feedback so you know whether you’re doing it correctly or not. Is my pitch correct? Did my geraniums bloom? Is my pronunciation understandable?However, a new study by researchers at the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon shows that you can speed up the processes by adding a third element to practice and feedback: passive exposure. The good news is that passive exposure requires minimal effort and is enjoyable."Active learning of a... task requires both expending effort to perform the task and having access to feedback about task performance," the study authors explained. "Passive exposure to sensory stimuli, on the other hand, is relatively effortless and does not require feedback about performance." A woman listening to music in bedvia Andrea Piacquadio/PexelsSo, if you’re learning to play the blues on guitar, listen to plenty of Howlin’ Wolf or Robert Johnson throughout the day. If you’re learning to cook, keep the Food Network on TV all day to absorb some great culinary advice. Learning to garden? Take the time to notice the flora and fauna in your neighborhood or make frequent trips to your local botanical garden.If you’re learning a new language, watch plenty of TV and films in the tongue you are learning.The scientists add that auditory learning is especially helpful, so listen to plenty of audiobooks or podcasts on the subject you’re learning about.Researchers learned the tremendous benefits of passive exposure after conducting a study with a group of mice. They trained them to find water, using various sounds to give either positive or negative feedback, like playing a game of “hot or cold.” Some mice were passively exposed to these sounds when they weren't looking for water. Those who experienced this additional passive exposure and their active training learned to find the water reward faster. A woman reading a book about house plants.via cottonbro studio/Pexels“Our results suggest that, in mice and in humans, a given performance threshold can be achieved with relatively less effort by combining low-effort passive exposure with active training,” James Murray, a neuroscientist who led the study, told University of Oregon News. “This insight could be helpful for humans learning an instrument or a second language, though more work will be needed to better understand how this applies to more complex tasks and how to optimize training schedules that combine passive exposure with active training.”The great news about the story is that in addition to giving people a new way to approach learning, it’s an excuse for us to enjoy the things we love even more. If you enjoy listening to blues music so much that you decided to learn for yourself, it’s another reason to make it an even more significant part of your life.This article originally appeared on 7.18.24