Boeing X37B Spaceplane Prepares for Eighth Orbital Test Mission

Boeing X37B Spaceplane Prepares for Eighth Orbital Test Mission
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 30, 2025

The Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is scheduled to embark on its eighth mission, OTV-8, no earlier than August 21 from Florida's Space Coast. This marks the next phase of operations for the uncrewed spaceplane, coming less than six months after OTV-7 successfully concluded.

According to Michelle Parker, vice president of Boeing Space Mission Systems, the program continues to evolve. "With each successive flight, the X-37B has demonstrated adaptability and flexibility by hosting diverse experiments and pioneering new orbital regimes," she said. "This mission continues that legacy by fielding cutting-edge technologies that advance our nation's space capability and improve the resilience of future architectures."

For the OTV-8 mission, the spacecraft will launch with an integrated service module, significantly expanding its experiment payload capacity. This enhanced configuration will support collaborations with the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Innovation Unit.

Key payloads for this mission include a high-bandwidth inter-satellite laser communications system and the most advanced quantum inertial sensor yet flown in space. Both technologies aim to support next-generation navigation and data transport strategies.

"OTV-8's laser communications demonstration will mark an important step in the U.S. Space Force's ability to leverage commercial space networks as part of proliferated, diversified, and redundant space architectures," said Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force. "In so doing, it will strengthen the resilience, reliability, adaptability, and data transport speeds of our satellite communications architectures."

The quantum inertial sensor is designed to enable precise navigation in GPS-denied environments, such as deep space and cis-lunar regions. Space Delta 9 Commander Colonel Ramsey Hom emphasized its strategic relevance. "OTV 8's quantum inertial sensor demonstration is a welcome step forward for the operational resilience of Guardians in space," he stated. "Whether navigating beyond Earth-based orbits in cis-lunar space or operating in GPS-denied environments, quantum inertial sensing allows for robust navigation capabilities where GPS navigation is not possible. Ultimately, this technology contributes significantly to our thrust within the Fifth Space Operations Squadron and across the Space Force guaranteeing movement and maneuverability even in GPS-denied environments."

Boeing and U.S. Space Force personnel are finalizing launch preparations at Boeing's facility within Kennedy Space Center. Since its maiden voyage in April 2010, the X-37B has logged over 4,200 days in orbit.