SpaceX Successfully Launches US Military’s X-37B on OTV-8 Mission

The US Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane was successfully launched by SpaceX on August 22, 2025, marking the eighth mission of its kind. The Orbital Test Vehicle mission, designated USSF-36, lifted off at 09:20 IST from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Approximately nine minutes later, the booster made a successful landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 2.

This launch represents the third OTV mission SpaceX has conducted, following OTV-5 and OTV-7. The Falcon 9 booster used in this mission has previously supported five other flights, including missions for the National Reconnaissance Office and NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services.

Details of the OTV-8 Mission

The OTV-8 mission remains classified, consistent with its predecessors. Specific details about the spaceplane’s deployment location and the nature of its payloads are scarce. Notably, SpaceX concluded its live webcast shortly after the booster landed, opting not to show the deployment of the spaceplane by the rocket’s second stage.

According to the US Space Force’s mission statement, the X-37B, which measures 8.8 meters in length, carries experimental payloads designed to advance next-generation technologies. These include laser communications capabilities and a quantum inertial sensor, which the Space Force describes as the most advanced of its kind tested in space.

The mission aims to enhance the resilience, efficiency, and security of US space-based communications. It will involve laser communications demonstrations that incorporate commercial satellite networks operating in low-Earth orbit. The quantum inertial sensor is expected to improve navigation accuracy in environments where traditional GPS is unavailable, thereby bolstering the navigational resilience of US spacecraft amid various threats.

Implications of the OTV Missions

OTV missions typically range from 200 to 900 days in orbit, concluding with the spaceplane making a runway landing. The exact duration of the OTV-8 mission remains undetermined, leaving observers keen to assess the advancements in space technology that it may yield.

The X-37B program has been a focal point for the US military’s ongoing efforts to develop and test new capabilities in space. As the mission unfolds, it will continue to contribute to the understanding of space technologies and their applications for national security.

The successful launch of OTV-8 underscores SpaceX’s pivotal role in supporting military and government space initiatives, further solidifying its partnership with the US government in advancing space exploration and technology development.