Military
NORAD ID: 37375
Int'l Code: 2011-010A
Launch date: March 5, 2011
Source: United States (US)
Comments: The launch marks the start of the X-37 B programme's second space mission. The OTV was designed to examine how highly complex technologies will perform in space before they are made operational. OTV was the first vehicle since NASA's shuttle orbiter capable of returning experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis. The air force's other X-37B plane, known as OTV-1, returned to Earth in December 2010 after a similarly mysterious seven-month maiden mission. This is a classified mission.
Two Line Element Set (TLE):
Source: Mike McCants
NASA's NSSDC Master Catalog entry for OTV 2 (USA 226)
