Military X-37B space plane takes off from Cape Canaveral

The US military X-37B orbital vehicle goes into orbit today

An experimental military space plane has been successfully put into orbit after blasting off from Cape Canaveral.

The Boeing X-37B looks similar to the Space Shuttle and is an unmanned military platform that could be used for spying or even offensive purposes.

The craft is designed to remain in orbit for up to nine months before returning to Earth automatically for resupply or reloading.

"Probably the most important demonstration is on the ground to see what it really takes to turn this bird around and get it ready to fly again," Gary Payton, US Air Force deputy undersecretary for space programmes, told Reuters.

"In all honesty, we don't know when it's coming back for sure. It depends on the progress that we make with the on-orbit experiments and demonstrations."

The X-37B is around a quarter the size of the Space Shuttle and can carry a small payload that the military claimed will be used to test materials in space for use in satellites of the future.

The US Air Force said that it needs the craft to be responsive to new threats. Standard Space Shuttle launches take months to organise, but the X-37B has the potential to be launched in hours and to maintain orbit for extended periods.

International treaties do not allow weapons of mass destruction to be deployed in space, but there are no rules for conventional weapons, such as the touted Rods of God which could be used as high-speed missiles.