A reusable winged spaceship, part of the US military’s X-37B spaceplane program, successfully launched and re-entered orbit on Thursday night atop a SpaceX rocket. The mission marks the eighth flight of an X-37B spaceplane, designed as a technological testbed for ferrying experiments from Earth to space and back.
The core of this week’s experiment is the “world’s highest performing quantum inertial sensor ever used in space,” developed by the Space Force. This sensor package aims to demonstrate navigation without relying on GPS signals, enabling spacecraft to detect rotation and acceleration without satellite networks.
Launched at 11:50 pm EDT from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, the X-37B successfully reached low-Earth orbit, with its upper stage booster separating and landing safely at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The military’s Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, in partnership with the Space Force, manages the program.
Past X-37B missions have deployed small satellites into orbit before returning to Earth for a runway landing. This week’s mission includes an instrumentation package to test quantum navigation and a laser inter-satellite relay terminal, allowing the spaceplane to connect with other spacecraft in orbit.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/08/spacex-boeing-team-up-for-another-flight-of-the-militarys-x-37b-spaceplane