Nuclear Space Bomber? Why Russia and China Fear the US Space Force’s Secret X-37B
Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B operates in near-total secrecy, resembling a miniature Space Shuttle but flying uncrewed missions that last for years.
-While officially a technology demonstrator for sensors and reusable materials, its classified nature has fueled suspicions from Russia and China, who have publicly speculated it could be a “nuclear space bomber.”
-Expert Harrison Kass argues the platform’s true power lies in strategic ambiguity—acting as a flexible, reusable testbed that signals American space dominance while keeping rivals unsure if it is a simple science vessel or a covert military asset.
X-37B: A Mystery in Space
The X-37B looks like a miniature Space Shuttle but operates in near-total secrecy. Russia and China have stated, in different formats and publications, that their experts think it could be some sort of military platform, even a nuclear space bomber of some sorts.
X-37B. Image Credit: NASA YouTube/Screenshot.
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), the Air Force’s unmanned, reusable space plane, landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:48 a.m. (PDT) June 16. OTV-2, which launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., March 5, 2011, conducted on-orbit experiments for 469 days during its mission. The X-37B is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the X-37B program performs risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies. (photo credit: Boeing)
X-37B. Image Credit: Boeing.
Nonetheless, flown by the US Space Force, missions last hundreds of days, yet the public knows next to nothing other than when the space vehicle launches and lands. Otherwise, all information is withheld.
Officially, the X-37B is not a weapon, but merely a platform designed to test, observe, and signal.
What is the X-37B
We don’t know exactly what the X-37B is.
What we do know is that the mysterious space plane is an uncrewed, reusable orbital spaceplane.
Originally developed by NASA, it was transferred to DARPA and then the US Air Force, and most recently, the US Space Force, who operates the program today. The X-37B is launched atop the Atlas V or Falcon 9 rocket and lands autonomously on conventional runways. What happens in between is unclear.
In a testing procedure, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle taxis on the flightline March 30, 2010, at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, FLa. (Courtesy photo)
X-37B. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
X-37B. Image Credit: NASA.
The U.S. Airforce’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission 4 after landing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., May 7, 2017. U.S. Air Force/Handout.
Presumably, the X-37B bridges a gap between satellites and spacecraft, designed to stay in orbit for years before returning to Earth.
Technical Specifications
The X-37B measures 29 feet long with a wingspan of 15 feet. Weighing 11,000 pounds, the X-37B has a 7 foot long payload bay, though the exact payload capabilities remain classified. The spacecraft is powered by a conventional launch vehicle and depends on a deployable solar array for on-orbit power. An advanced reusable heat shield is used for thermal protection. The guidance and landing systems are autonomous.
Why So Secret?
The program’s secrecy is designed to protect the payload, mission profiles, and capabilities. Likely roles include sensor testing, materials experiments, and satellite technology validation. The X-37B likely has the ability to change orbit and return hardware.
The platform is inherently sensitive; disclosure would help adversaries and enable countermeasures. Ambiguity itself is strategic because rivals must now assume the X-37B is capable of multiple mission types, even if none are offensive.
Likely Uses in Orbit
We can only guess—but the best guesses are that the X-37B is used for a technology demonstrator of sensors, propulsion, and thermal systems.
Space environment testing is likely to occur as well to gauge radiation effects and long-duration exposure. Orbital maneuver experiments, including inclination changes and repositioning.
The X-37B may also fill an inspection role, providing close-proximity operations. The platform may also be used to deploy and retrieve small payloads and experiments. Intelligence gathering can’t be ruled out either; it is possible, though unconfirmed.
Regardless, the X-37B’s key advantages are reusability and the ability to remain in orbit for years at a time. Unlike satellites, the X-37B can be recovered and reused.
Tactical Value of the X-37B
The X-37B’s tactical value lies in flexibility. Unlike satellites, the platform is not confined to a single orbit. And unlike crewed spacecraft, there is no human risk.
This enables rapid experimentation and operational surprise.
The X-37B can act as a testbed for future space systems. This supports faster innovation cycles. In space, adaptability equals advantage; the X-37B integrates development, testing, and validation into a single platform.
Strategic Implications
The X-37B sends a message merely by existing; it signals that the US is technologically sophisticated and enjoys long-duration access to space.
It raises questions for adversaries: Is the US watching? Is the US testing space weapons? Is the US testing satellite interference?
Even if the answer is no, that uncertainty has an effect. As space becomes increasingly contested, the X-37B fits into the deterrence-by-ambiguity strategy. It reinforces the US intent to operate freely in orbit without overt militarization.
Officially, the X-37B is not a weapon. There is no evidence of offensive payloads. But dual-use nature matters, like inspection and proximity operations. These capabilities are inherently sensitive. The X-37B blurs the lines between research and operations—that blur is deliberate and strategically useful.
Future of the Program
In the future, expect the X-37B to continue on long missions and to be launched from new launch vehicles. Likely future egolres include AI-enabled autonomy, on-orbit servicing tests, and advanced propulsion trials.
The platform may inform next-generation military spacecraft and could spawn larger variants or specialized derivatives. Whatever happens, the X-37B is unlikely to be an endpoint; it is more likely the beginning of a more varied fleet of spacecraft.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is an attorney and journalist covering national security, technology, and politics. Previously, he was a political staffer and candidate, and a US Air Force pilot selectee. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in global journalism and international relations from NYU.
