SpaceX Unveils Secretive US Military Spacecraft
The Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX roared off the launch pad just before midnight, transporting a military spaceplane called the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. The rocket launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, located in Florida.
The Thursday night launch marked the start of the program's eighth mission, which commenced operational flights in April 2010. Officials from the United States Space Force (USSF) confirmed the separation of the Boeing-manufactured spacecraft within hours after its liftoff at 11:50 p.m. EDT.
"OTV-8 showcases the X-37B’s role as the leading test platform for essential future space technologies of the U.S. Space Force," stated William Blauser, Acting Director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO), in a statement before the launch. With its mission-driven innovation, the X-37B persistently transforms the concept of what is achievable in the ultimate realm of space.
Approximately 8.5 minutes post-launch, the SpaceX Falcon 9 booster, tail number 1092, finished its sixth flight with a landing at Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, resulting in a sonic boom.
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Historically, many aspects of the X-37B program remain classified, including the tests performed during the majority of its missions. Space Force officials highlighted two key demonstrations during this flight: quantum navigation and laser communication.
The inter-satellite laser communications technology with high bandwidth on the OTV-8 flight will engage with what the USSF refers to as “proliferated commercial satellite networks in Low Earth Orbit.”
It remains uncertain whether this demonstration will utilize the government-operated SpaceX-built Starshield satellites, SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, or a different commercial satellite constellation.
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The USSF stated that using shorter wavelength infrared light enhances the data transfer capacity of each transmission while providing a more secure method than radio frequency communications.