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Watch live: SpaceX Falcon 9 launches secretive military mini-shuttle from Kennedy Space Center

Watch live coverage as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a secretive U.S. military mini-shuttle called the X-37B Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is scheduled fo...

🚀 LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches X-37B Spaceplane

This mission will launch the US Space Force X-37B spaceplane into a low-earth orbit, where it will aim to accomplish a wide range of test and experimentation objectives. These will include demonstrati...

USSF-36 Mission

Livestream on X

SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.

OTV-8 (X-37B) (USSF-36)

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Low Earth Orbit Launch Complex 39A Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA Probability: 90%
B1092 - Landing Zone 2

Eighth flight of the X-37B program. The X-37B is a dynamic and responsive spacecraft responsible for conducting a range of tests and experiments that expedite the development of critical next-generation technologies and operational concepts for reusable space capabilities. The OTV-8 mission in Low Earth Orbit includes operational demonstrations and experiments of next-generation technologies, including laser communications and the highest performing strategic grade quantum inertial sensor ever tested in space. Mission partners include the Air Force Research Lab and the Defense Innovation Unit, respectively.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

hitura-nobad • Aug. 22, 2025, 2:35 p.m.

Launch successfull.


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 22, 2025, 7:39 a.m.

Spacecraft separation.


hitura-nobad • Aug. 22, 2025, 3:50 a.m.

Liftoff!


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 22, 2025, 3:19 a.m.

Updated launch weather, 90% GO.


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 20, 2025, 4:56 p.m.

Updated launch weather, 65% GO at start of window (80% GO at end).


Falcon 9

Family:
Configuration: Block 5

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    70.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.65 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    5.2 m
  • Launch Mass
    549.0 T
  • Thrust
    7607.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Falcon 9
  • Family
    ―
  • Variant
    Block 5
  • Alias
    ―
  • Full Name
    Falcon 9 Block 5
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $52000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    22800.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    8300.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
    ―
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    ―

Booster Info


B1092

Status: Active


Type: Core
Flight Proven: Yes
First Flight: February 27, 2025
Last Flight: November 15, 2025
Flights: 8
Landings Attempted: 8
Landings Successful: 8
Previous B1092 Flights

Landing Information

The Falcon 9 first stage B1092 has landed back at the launch site at Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2) after its 6th flight.

Result: Successful Return to Launch Site landing at Landing Zone 2.

X-37B 1


Active Cargo Unmanned Payload Capacity: 227 kg
Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Serial Number: 1

First X-37B. First flight on April 22, 2010.

X-37B Details

SpaceX

SpaceX

(SpX)

CEO: Elon Musk Founded: 2002 Successes: 588 Failures: 15 Pending: 116

Agency Type:

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.

INFO WIKI

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Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

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