X-37B Archives | DefenseScoop

X-37B

The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission Seven successfully landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, March 7, 2025. The X-37B landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, to exercise the service’s ability to recover the spaceplane across multiple sites. (U.S. Space Force courtesy photo)

Next X-37B space plane mission will test laser communications, quantum sensor for US military

This will be the eight mission for the Boeing-built space plane.

20 hours ago By Jon Harper

Powered by 27 Merlin engines, generating more than five million pounds of combined thrust, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off from Launch Complex (LC)-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Dec. 28, 2023 at 8:07 p.m. EST, carrying the U.S. Space Force (USSF)-52 mission into Earth orbit. (SpaceX photo)

Space Force launches X-37B robotic space plane for new round of classified experiments

The X-37B will conduct tests on space domain awareness technologies, operations in new orbital regimes and radiation effects on NASA materials.

Dec 29, 2023 By Mikayla Easley

X-37B orbital test vehicle concludes sixth successful mission. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Shanks)

What we know about the Pentagon’s mysterious X-37B spaceplane and its record-setting mission

The U.S. military's uncrewed, reusable X-37B space plane just completed its sixth mission after 908 days in orbit.

Nov 15, 2022 By Brandi Vincent