SpaceX Launches Secretive X-37B Military Spaceplane for US Space Force
In a striking demonstration of U.S. space capabilities, SpaceX successfully launched the eighth mission of the secretive X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-8) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on August 21, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A. Operated by the U.S. Space Force, the uncrewed, fully reusable spaceplane was sent into low Earth orbit on a classified mission code-named USSF-36.AP NewsThe Wall Street JournalWikipedia
Boeing designed the 29-foot (9-meter) X-37B with a nearly 15-foot (4.5-meter) wingspan as a smaller, autonomous version of the Space Shuttle. Since its inception in 2010, this spaceplane has become a critical asset for covert defense and space experimentation.AP NewsThe Wall Street JournalBusiness InsiderWikipedia+1
The latest mission is expected to feature cutting-edge tests, including advanced laser communications and GPS-independent navigation systems, a critical capability amid growing concerns over signal vulnerabilities. Additionally, the mission may incorporate experimental quantum inertial sensors for navigation without satellite guidance.AP NewsThe Wall Street JournalWikipedia
Details regarding the mission’s duration remain undisclosed, continuing the tradition of secretive deployment. Past X-37B missions have endured for months, with some stretching beyond a year.AP NewsThe Wall Street JournalWikipedia
The launch demonstrates the strategic importance of reusable, rapidly deployed space vehicles for military and intelligence operations. X-37B’s capacity to carry classified payloads into orbit, conduct experiments, and autonomously return to Earth underscores its role in maintaining U.S. space leadership.AP NewsThe Wall Street JournalBusiness InsiderWikipedia+1
Deployments of this nature highlight SpaceX’s essential role in national security space infrastructure. The company continues to support a pathway toward agile and responsive space deployment models that can adapt to both technological and geopolitical challenges.The Wall Street JournalThe War ZoneWikipedia
