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Spacecraft · Space

X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle

Reusable uncrewed spaceplane the U.S. Space Force uses for long-duration orbital experiments.

by Boeing

FieldedSpacecraftSpaceMilestoneAug 21, 2025
X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on the runway after landing from Mission 5 in October 2019

Photo: U.S. Air Force / Jeremy Webster · Public domain (PD-USGov-Military-Air Force) · Resized and reencoded as WebP; no additional crop or retouching. Credit retained for factual editorial product coverage.

Boeing-built reusable robotic spaceplane operated by the U.S. Space Force to test next-generation space technologies and operating concepts on long missions.

Timeline1

  1. MilestoneConfirmed

    Eighth mission (OTV-8) launched

    Launched from Kennedy Space Center LC-39A; payloads include a quantum inertial sensor experiment.

    SourcesVandenberg Space Force Base

Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.

Operators1

  • USUnited States

Sources2

  1. 1.
    NewsBoeing X-37B Latest Mission Tests Quantum Inertial Sensor in Space

    Mobility Engineering Technology · Sep 3, 2025 · Supports: System

    “Boeing's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9”
  2. 2.
    Government recordUS Space Force launches eighth X-37B mission

    Vandenberg Space Force Base · Aug 22, 2025 · Supports: System milestone

    “successfully launched the eighth mission of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-8) on a Falcon 9 rocket at 11:50 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Aug. 21, 2025,”

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