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2015 · United Launch Alliance

OTV-4 (X-37B) (USA 261) ( AFSPC-5) & ULTRASat cubesat deployer

successAtlas V 501 | OTV-4 (X-37B) (USA 261) (AFSPC-5) & ULTRASat cubesat deployer

It is the second flight of the second Boeing X-37B vehicle and the fourth flight of the program. United States Air Force Orbital Test Vehicle is an unmanned 5000 kg, 8.8 m-long reusable mini-spaceplane capable of autonomous re-entry and landing. The OTV-4 mission was to test Aerojet Rocketdyne's XR-5A Hall-effect thruster and conduct a NASA investigation for testing various materials in space. The mission concluded after 717 days in orbit, marking the first time X-37B landed on the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center.

Overview

Date / time
May 20, 2015 at 03:05 PM UTC
Outcome
success
Launch site
Space Launch Complex 41
Mission
OTV-4 (X-37B) (USA 261) ( AFSPC-5) & ULTRASat cubesat deployer
Mission type
Government/Top Secret
Orbit achieved
Low Earth Orbit
Launch vehicle
Atlas V 501 →
Launch provider
United Launch Alliance →

Payloads deployed · 11

AEROCUBE 8A
LEO
AEROCUBE 8B
LEO
BRICSAT-P (NO-83)
LEO
GEARRS-2
LEO
LIGHTSAIL-A
Payload
OPTICUBE 01
LEO
OPTICUBE 02
LEO
OPTICUBE 03
LEO
OTV 4 (USA 261)
Payload
PARKINSONSAT (PSAT)
LEO
USS LANGLEY
LEO