SpaceX Sets New Launch Date for U.S. Military’s Classified X-37B Aircraft After Initial Postponement

SpaceX has announced the new launch date for the United States military’s secretive X-37B robotic space plane, set for its seventh mission into orbit. The launch is now scheduled for December 28, following the postponement of the original launch plan on December 17 due to poor weather at Cape Canaveral. The X-37B, designated USSF-52, will be launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida.

Operated by the US Air Force, the X-37B is an unmanned space test platform, known for conducting classified experiments and testing various technologies in space. The specific details of these experiments are undisclosed, leading to speculation about their potential military uses. This mission is the X-37B’s seventh, and it marks the first time the spacecraft will be launched using the Falcon Heavy, notable for its reusability.

Designed similarly to the Space Shuttle, the X-37B is capable of autonomously returning to Earth post-mission, allowing it to be reused for future launches. Its compact size, comparable to a small bus, provides the flexibility to carry different payloads for experimentation.

Since its debut mission in 2010, the X-37B’s ability for long-duration flights and reusability have been its standout features. The upcoming mission’s specific altitude details remain undisclosed by the Pentagon. However, it is set to involve testing in new orbital regimes and experimenting with advanced space domain awareness technologies, as reported by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.

Additionally, this mission will include a NASA experiment focused on examining the effects of prolonged radiation exposure on plant seeds in space.

The military has not revealed the expected duration of the X-37B’s upcoming mission. However, it is anticipated to follow the pattern of increasingly longer flights, potentially remaining in orbit until June 2026 or beyond.