The enigmatic X-37B spacecraft of the U.S. Space Force is now on its most recent mission.
Tonight (Aug. 21) at 11:50 p.m. EDT (0350 GMT on Aug. 22), the robotic X-37B took flight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Eight and a half minutes later, the first stage of the Falcon 9 made its scheduled return to Earth, landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, which is adjacent to KSC. Meanwhile, the X-37B continued to be carried by the rocket's upper stage toward low Earth orbit, where it would perform a number of tasks, some of which will be very quiet. The X-37B's deployment date and location are unknown; SpaceX halted its launch livestream shortly after the rocket landed, per the Space Force's request.
The X-37B, which is 29 feet (8.8 meters) long, resembles a scaled-down version of NASA's space shuttle orbiters, which are currently defunct. Two of the uncrewed vehicles, both made by Boeing, are reportedly in the Space Force.
The X-37B, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), is a spacecraft that is primarily used as a testbed for sensors and other equipment that the military wishes to test out in Earth orbit. We often only obtain a limited view of X-37B payloads and operations in the last frontier because a large portion of this equipment is classified.
The military has provided us with this preview of the upcoming OTV-8 operation. The payloads are "next-generation technologies including laser communications and the highest-performing quantum inertial sensor ever tested in space," according to a statement released by Space Force officials on July 28.
A quantum inertial sensor is a device that uses the laws of quantum mechanics to measure the acceleration, rotation, and velocity of spacecraft.
"This technology is useful for navigation in GPS-denied environments and consequently will enhance the navigational resilience of U.S. spacecraft in the face of current and emerging threats," according to a statement released on July 28. "As quantum inertial sensors would be useful for navigation in cislunar [Earth-moon] space, they additionally promise to push the technological frontiers of long-distance space travel and exploration."
Additionally, the U.S. military sees laser-based communications as critical to future American space dominance and national security. Due to their highly focused nature, laser communications are more secure than conventional radio-frequency systems. They can also send more data.
OTV-8 would include laser-comms tests "involving proliferated commercial satellite networks in low Earth orbit," the July 28 announcement said, using equipment on board the X-37B.
According to the announcement, "OTV-8's laser communications demonstration will mark an important step in the U.S. Space Force's ability to leverage proliferated space networks as part of a diversified and redundant space architecture," said Gen. Chance Saltzman, director of space operations. "In so doing, it will strengthen the resilience, reliability, adaptability and data transport speeds of our satellite communications architecture."
One of those "proliferated space networks" is perhaps SpaceX's massive and constantly expanding broadband megaconstellation, Starlink, which presently has over 8,000 operational satellites in low Earth orbit.
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