ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department
of the Air Force and Boeing [NYSE: BA] X-37B autonomous spaceplane
is receiving the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for the
greatest American achievements in aeronautics and astronautics of
2019. The X-37B set a new 780-day on-orbit endurance record and
completed an overflight of the United
States, using Federal Aviation Administration airspace,
before making a pinpoint landing at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center.
The National Aeronautic Association is awarding the 2019 Collier
to the X-37B for advancing the performance, efficiency and safety
of air and space vehicles.
Designed and built by Boeing, operated in partnership with the
U.S. Space Force, and managed by the U.S. Department of the Air
Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the X-37B is a reliable, reusable,
uncrewed space test platform designed to carry experiments to orbit
and return them to Earth for evaluation.
"Underscoring the importance of space to the nation, the Collier
Trophy celebrates the record-setting mission of the X-37B," said
Secretary of the Air Force Barbara
Barrett. "Most Americans use space daily for navigation,
information, and communication. Sophisticated and uncrewed, the
X-37B advances reusable spaceplane technologies and operates
experiments in space that are returned for further examination on
Earth."
In addition, Boeing facilitates the integration of experiments
into the X-37B system and helps identify future reusable-platform
experiment opportunities for each mission. X-37B is the 33rd Boeing
effort to receive a Collier.
"We are truly honored that the women and men of the X-37B team
are being recognized with the Collier Trophy," said Boeing Defense,
Space & Security President and CEO Leanne Caret. "Not only have they earned a place
among our industry's legends through their commitment to innovation
and performance, but their accomplishments will influence the next
generation of space and aerospace development for the benefit of
all humanity."
In 2019, the spaceplane broke its own on-orbit endurance record
of 718 days. The program has logged more than 2,865 days and
travelled more than 1 billion miles on-orbit in total. Originally
designed for missions of 270 days, the X-37B has set endurance
records during each of its five previous flights. Its first mission
launched in 2010.
This is the ninth Collier Trophy shared by the U.S Department of
the Air Force and its forerunners, and Boeing and its legacy
companies. Prior shared wins include iconic air and space
achievements like the B-52, X-15, Global Positioning System and the
C-17 Globemaster III.
First awarded in 1911, the trophy's past recipients include
Orville Wright; the Apollo 11 lunar
landing team; the International Space Station, built by Boeing for
NASA; the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, built by Boeing for the U.S.
Navy; and the Boeing 787, 777 and 747 commercial airplanes.
For more information on Boeing Defense, Space & Security,
visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and
@BoeingSpace.
Contact:
Kelly Kaplan
Defense, Space & Security
Mobile: +1 832-284-2188
kelly.g.kaplan@boeing.com
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SOURCE Boeing