The U.S. Space Force, together with the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, launched the eighth X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on board the USSF-36 SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Aug. 21 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The launch was also conducted on behalf of the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Innovation Unit, Space Systems Command said Friday.
X-37B OTV-8 Mission Details
The launch is part of Task Order 2 under the NSSL Phase 2 contract, which was awarded on March 8, 2021. The spacecraft lifted off at 11:50 pm. The USSF-36 mission is the third NSSL Falcon mission this year, followed by the GPS III-7 SV-08 mission in May and the National Reconnaissance Office Launch 69, or NROL-69, in March.
Assured Access to Space, or AATS, which is part of the SSC-led Space Force team, is working with SpaceX to increase launch cadence by refining technical assessments, aiming to shorten timelines while maintaining mission success. AATS launches satellites and spacecraft, manages launch ranges, runs and maintains launch sites and test facilities, and provides services and logistics in space.
In July, Space Force said the X-37B OTV-8 mission seeks to conduct tests on laser communications and quantum inertial sensors as part of efforts to boost space communications.
Space System Command’s Ryan Hiserote Shares Thoughts
Col. Ryan Hiserote, senior materiel leader of launch execution for AATS, said the launch was the fourth NSSL Phase 2 mission this year and the organization plans to have more.
“In fact, we have more missions queued for launch over the next 12 months than in any prior 12-month period in the history of the NSSL program…and we welcome this challenge,” Hiserote remarked.
“Putting innovative capabilities such as these in orbit builds United States strength in the space domain and increases our nation’s overall warfighting capability,” he added.
