In the dark of night, SpaceX will launch the mysterious X-37B space plane for the U.S. Space Force (USSF).
A Falcon 9 rocket will carry the USSF-36 mission from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, with the Boeing-built X-37B on its eighth orbital transfer vehicle flight (OTV-8). The launch is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21, at 11:50 p.m. EDT (0350 GMT, Aug. 22).
SpaceX will stream the mission starting at about 11:30 p.m. EDT (0330 GMT, Aug. 22), available on the USSF-36 mission website and SpaceX’s X profile.
The Falcon 9 booster supporting the USSF-36 launch, B1092, will fly for the sixth time. It previously launched NROL-69, CRS-32, GPS III-7, and Starlink groups 12-13 and 10-34. The booster is expected to return to SpaceX’s Landing Zone-2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for recovery, only a few miles from the pad.
The OTV-8 mission will focus on two primary technology demonstrations: a laser communications system and a quantum inertial sensor, according to a July 28 U.S. Space Force statement.
Laser communications offer heavier data loads and stronger security compared to traditional radio. Meanwhile, the quantum inertial sensor aims to provide navigation data without reliance on GPS satellites, instead measuring atomic inertia to determine orbital position.
These technologies mark significant advancements in aerospace innovation, with the X-37B once again serving as a testbed for next-generation systems in orbit.
