X-37B: US space plane launches on 8th mysterious military mission

The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane was launched into low Earth orbit on its eighth secretive Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) mission, designated USSF-36, by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The launch occurred at 11:50 pm EDT, with the Falcon 9 first stage successfully landing nearby at Cape Canaveral. The X-37B, a 29-foot-long reusable spaceplane resembling a mini space shuttle, is designed to conduct classified sensor and technology experiments in orbit. Its current payload includes advanced technologies such as laser communications and a cutting-edge quantum inertial sensor, which enhances navigation capabilities in GPS-denied environments and holds promise for future long-distance space travel, including cis-lunar missions. During the OTV-8 mission, the X-37B will test laser communications and integrate with proliferated commercial satellite networks in low Earth orbit, potentially including SpaceX’s Starlink constellation. These demonstrations aim