US Space Force’s Unmanned Test Platform Enters Orbit Through SpaceX Rocket

The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B spaceplane entered orbit on Thursday onboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket.

Developed by Boeing, the X-37B is an uncrewed and reusable testing platform that usually stays in space for extended periods, BNN Bloomberg reported Thursday.

Part of the National Security Space Launch program, the vehicle’s most recent launch comes after several delays. Space Systems Command originally planned for the operation to commence on Dec. 10.

SSC stated that X-37B is intended to support technology demonstrations for the Space Force’s unmanned space test platform. In addition, the vehicle is expected to house space domain awareness and radiation exposure experiments.

Its last mission occurred in 2020, launching in May and spending 908 days in orbit. X-37B returned to Earth in November 2022.

NASA, the Naval Research Laboratory and other organizations conducted several experiments on the X-37B during the last mission, including research on changes in seeds left in space for long periods.