The US Space Force and SpaceX are scheduled to launch the Boeing-built X-37B spaceplane on its eighth mission, USSF-36, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The mission, OTV-8, will focus on communications and navigational accuracy.
According to the 45th Weather Squadron, there is a 65% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff, with improved chances of up to 80% as the launch window progresses. SpaceX will use the Falcon 9 first stage booster B1092, which has launched for six times before and will aim for a landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The X-37B was encapsulated in the payload fairing on August 14 and integrated with the rest of the rocket on Wednesday morning. The mission comes after seven previous flights that have operated for over 4,200 days in space.
The US Space Force is highlighting two key areas: communications and navigational accuracy. The X-37B will demonstrate a laser communications experiment and use “the world’s highest performing quantum inertial sensor” to navigate without GPS.
The mission marks an important step in the US Space Force’s ability to leverage proliferated space networks and strengthen its satellite communications architecture.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/08/20/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-x-37b-military-spaceplane-on-falcon-9-rocket-from-the-kennedy-space-center