Seventh Mission Takes Off After Weather Delays and Ground Equipment Issues

In a covert operation, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday night, successfully deploying the U.S. military’s X-37B space plane on its seventh mission. The launch had faced delays due to adverse weather conditions and ground equipment issues in previous attempts.

The secretive X-37B, resembling NASA’s retired space shuttle but on a smaller scale, was carried into orbit atop the Falcon Heavy, the second-most powerful operational rocket globally. This marked SpaceX’s 97th launch of 2023, emphasizing its role as a key player in the space industry.

The mission, known as OTV-7 (“Orbital Test Vehicle-7”) or USSF-52, aims to leverage the Falcon Heavy’s capabilities to operate the reusable space plane in new orbital regimes. The specifics of the mission remain classified, with Space Force officials emphasizing objectives that include expanding knowledge of the space environment and experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies.

The Falcon Heavy, consisting of three reusable first stages, demonstrated its prowess during the launch. The two outer boosters returned for safe touchdowns at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking the 257th and 258th overall successful landings of an orbital class rocket.

Notably, SpaceX’s livestream of the Falcon Heavy launch was terminated upon the U.S. Space Force’s request before the X-37B’s deployment, adding an element of secrecy to the mission.

The X-37B, owned by the Space Force and built by Boeing, serves as an orbital testbed for military experiments. While mission details are often classified, it is known that OTV-7 carries a NASA experiment called Seeds-2, designed to expose plant seeds to the harsh radiation of long-duration spaceflight.

With a history of extended durations in orbit, the previous six X-37B missions each surpassed seven months. The Falcon Heavy’s capability to reach higher orbits raises speculation about the potential elevation of the X-37B to geosynchronous orbit, about 22,000 miles above Earth.

The successful launch underscores the collaborative efforts between SpaceX and the U.S. Space Force in advancing space exploration and experimentation, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in the vast expanse beyond our planet.