Less than six months after completing its seventh mission, the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane is back in orbit for its eighth flight – a classified mission hosting next-gen technology demonstrations for several government partners.
The X-37B lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Aug. 21 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Designated USSF-36, the mission was procured under the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract and supports multiple agencies, including the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, Air Force Research Laboratory, and Defense Innovation Unit.
“X-37B continues to prove itself as a premier testing platform aiding in experiments to better understand our future in space. These experiments, X-37B itself, and Space Launch Delta 45’s ability to perform fast, flexible launches all play crucial roles in bolstering our resilience and enhancing our ability to swiftly adapt to the challenges in space of today and tomorrow,” Space Launch Delta 45 Commander Col. Brian Chatman, said in a statement.
The mission will test advanced technologies including laser communication systems for high-bandwidth, secure data links and quantum inertial sensors designed to enable precise navigation without Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Space Force officials say these experiments could lay the groundwork for future operational capabilities in contested space environments.
The USSF-36 launch continues a rapid cadence for the NSSL program, with several more launches expected in the coming months.
“This was our fourth NSSL Phase 2 mission so far this year, and we have more coming right behind it,” said Col. Ryan Hiserote, senior materiel leader for Space Systems Command.
“In fact, we have more missions queued for launch over the next 12 months than in any prior 12-month period in the history of the NSSL program…and we welcome this challenge. Putting innovative capabilities such as these in orbit builds United States strength in the space domain and increases our nation’s overall warfighting capability,” Hiserote added.
While many mission details remain classified, officials have emphasized the spacecraft’s value in accelerating technology development and deployment.
“Having a returnable space platform allows us to learn faster,” said Chatman in a separate statement. “The data we gather from the X-37B speeds decisions, hardens our architectures, and helps Guardians stay connected and on course even in contested environments.”
The X-37B has previously tested autonomous orbital systems, hosted experimental payloads, and returned to Earth for data analysis and reuse – a feature military leaders say significantly shortens the time between research and deployment.