A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off on Thursday (21.08.2025) in the evening from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, transferring the X-37B to orbit. The unmanned space space aircraft of United Statesreminiscent of a smaller version of NASA’s space bus, is capable of returning to land landing as a plane after a long mission, Wall Street Journal writes.
The flights of this aircraft remain mystery: neither the duration nor the exact goals are announced. However, according to the United States US Space Force, the program includes experiments with laser satellite communications and a quantum navigation sensor, two technologies considered to be of strategic importance to the future of the US military.
A flying laboratory
These experiments are aimed at transmitting huge volumes of data between satellites and improving the detection of GPS -free areas. The X-37B had already tested “Aerobraking”, a technique that utilizes atmospheric friction for low-fuel trajectory changes.
It was developed by Boeing for NASA and transported to the Pentagon in 2004. Since then, the space aircraft has performed multiple secret missions, which included tests of new materials in space, launching small satellites or even sending solar energy to Earth.
Strategic competition
Behind these frequent missions is the American strategy for excellence in space. Washington accuses China and Russia of developing weapons against satellites, capable of threatening West’s military and commercial infrastructure. Beijing now has over 1,000 satellites and has manufactured its own reusable space aircraft, Shenlong.
“There is a global strategic interest in stating what we are sending in space,” Jonathan McDowell, astrophysicist at Harvard-Smithsonian Center, told the Wall Street Journal. “If the US hides their satellites, then the Chinese will start to do so – and that is not in our interest.”
A rare success for Boeing
Unlike the Starliner or SLS rocket, which is suffering from delays and technical problems, the X-37B has evolved into one of Boeing’s most reliable projects. Michelle Parker, vice president of the Space Mission Company, stressed that the last flight has proven progress in autonomous functions, an element that will be decisive in the future as space is becoming more and more “crowded” by satellites.
The US space power sees the X-37B a means to test the flexibility in orbit, a critical factor for the future of military satellites. However, his future duties remain covered with secrecy. Congress has already approved a billion dollar fuel in the context of Donald Trump’s budget in July, without clarifying exactly how money will be used.