The U.S. Space Force is preparing to launch its eighth X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission on August 21, 2025.
According to the service, the unmanned X-37B spacecraft, operating under the designation USSF-36, will be carried aloft by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The mission will be conducted in partnership with the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, and will focus on multiple test and experimentation objectives, including laser-based communications and a next-generation quantum inertial sensor.
The experimental flight is intended to further validate advanced technologies that support the Space Force’s long-term goals of resiliency, data security, and independent space navigation. The aircraft, which resembles a miniature space shuttle, will conduct operations in orbit to gather data on system performance and operational utility.
“OTV-8’s laser communications demonstration will mark an important step in the U.S. Space Force’s ability to leverage proliferated space networks as part of a diversified and redundant space architecture,” said Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations. “In so doing, it will strengthen the resilience, reliability, adaptability and data transport speeds of our satellite communications architecture.”
The laser communications system onboard OTV-8 will operate in conjunction with proliferated commercial satellite networks in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The effort aims to demonstrate higher-capacity data links and enhanced security compared to traditional radio-frequency transmissions. Infrared laser beams, with their narrow focus, offer reduced risk of interception and improved throughput in contested environments.
In addition to the communications payload, the vehicle will carry what the service describes as the most advanced quantum inertial sensor yet flown in space. This technology allows for navigation without relying on the Global Positioning System (GPS), instead measuring atomic-level shifts to detect acceleration and rotation.
“OTV 8’s quantum inertial sensor demonstration is a welcome step forward for operational resilience in space,” said Col. Ramsey Horn, commander of Space Delta 9. “Whether navigating beyond Earth-based orbits in cislunar space or operating in GPS-denied environments, quantum inertial sensing allows for robust navigation capabilities when GPS navigation is not possible.”
Horn emphasized that the test supports the mission of the Fifth Space Operations Squadron, which oversees the daily on-orbit operations of the X-37B alongside the Rapid Capabilities Office.
The X-37B platform has become a centerpiece of reusable space experimentation for the Department of Defense. It offers the flexibility to remain in orbit for extended durations while hosting evolving payloads for classified and unclassified missions.
As noted by the Space Force, the platform’s ability to autonomously conduct reentry, landing, and reuse supports a faster pace of experimentation and prototyping—particularly for technologies requiring long-duration exposure in the space environment.
The quantum navigation experiment, led by the Defense Innovation Unit, is expected to inform broader military efforts to improve autonomous spacecraft operations, particularly in contested or denied areas where reliance on satellite-based systems may be vulnerable to disruption.
Meanwhile, laser communication systems under evaluation by the Air Force Research Laboratory aim to pave the way for a shift in military satellite architecture toward faster, more resilient, and decentralized data networks.
The August 21 mission will be the eighth for the X-37B program, which remains partially classified but continues to generate attention due to its role in supporting rapid technology development and strategic space experimentation.
The X-37B, manufactured by Boeing and operated under U.S. Space Force authority, last returned from orbit in March 2025 after a 434-day mission. Mission 8 is expected to remain in orbit for several months, although no specific mission duration has been publicly disclosed.