Boeing’s X-37B Has Its Next Mission

Reusable craft has flown 1.3 billion miles across seven missions spanning more than 4,200 days in space.

Jack Daleo

Monday, July 28, 2025 at 04:30 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Boeing’s X-37B spaceplane lands at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California after completing its seventh mission in March. [Courtesy: U.S. Space Force]

Key Takeaways:

Boeing's X-37B orbital test vehicle (OTV) is scheduled for its eighth mission, OTV-8, on August 21, continuing its role as the world's only autonomous, reusable spaceplane for long-duration testing of advanced technologies in orbit.
The OTV-8 mission will feature key experiments, including a laser communication demonstration to enhance satellite data transport and a high-performing quantum inertial sensor for precise navigation and potential cislunar communications.
The X-37B program boasts a successful track record across seven previous missions, demonstrating unique capabilities like autonomous runway landings and advanced orbital maneuvers, contrasting with Boeing's recent Starliner issues.

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Boeing’s experimental X-37B orbital test vehicle (OTV) could fly again in August, less than six months after completing a 434-day orbital stint in March.

The aerospace titan and U.S. Space Force on Tuesday said the spacecraft’s eighth mission, OTV-8, is scheduled to launch on August 21 from Boeing’s facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The X-37B is the world’s only autonomous, reusable spaceplane, designed for long-duration testing of technologies—often classified—in orbit.