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The body seems relatively cool compared to what I can find of the space shuttle, despite not quite knowing how long after touch-down the image was taken. I wonder if some new heat-dissipating technology, or similar, was amongst those being tested?

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So googling a bit, it seems to be a still frame from the video on this page?

http://www.outlookseries.com/A0992/Security/3696_X-37B_Orbit...

So it's just a few seconds after touchdown.

"The US Air Force's X-37B appeared at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on 3 December 2010"

Picture is from a while ago.

I wasn't concerned too much for publication date, but more so about the time between touch-down and the thermal camera going "click"... in terms of thermal loss comparisons to the NASA space shuttle.

The picture in question was from long before takeoff, let alone touchdown.

What do you base that on?

That the photos taken at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on 3 December 2010, were taken before the ship was launched into orbit.

Before the current mission launched. 3 December 2010 was the end date for the first mission

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