The unmanned shuttle, whose first flight took place in 2010, spent a total of more than ten years in space, during its six missions, adds the manufacturer in a press release.
It "continues to break records and provides our country with an unparalleled ability to rapidly test and integrate new space technologies," said Boeing Space Vice President Jim Chilton.
Launched in the greatest secrecy, the X-37B was designed for the United States Air Force by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
It is nine meters long, has a wingspan of 4.5 meters and is powered by solar panels.
The Pentagon had lifted the veil on its objectives before its last launch, in May 2020, by evoking a whole series of scientific experiments.
The mission was to test the reactions of certain materials in space, evaluate the effects of ambient radiation in space on a series of seeds, and transform solar radiation into radio-electric energy, the army explained.
© 2022 AFP