The Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is preparing for its eighth mission, with launch scheduled no earlier than August 21 from Florida’s Space Coast, according to a press release.
Designated OTV-8, the upcoming mission will carry a service module designed to expand experiment capacity. mKey demonstrations include a high-bandwidth inter-satellite laser communications system and what Boeing describes as the highest-performing quantum inertial sensor ever tested in space.
“With each successive flight, the X-37B has demonstrated adaptability and flexibility by hosting diverse experiments and pioneering new orbital regimes,” said Michelle Parker, vice president of Boeing Space Mission Systems.
“This mission continues that legacy by fielding cutting-edge technologies that advance our nation’s space capability and improve the resilience of future architectures.”
The X-37B is a reusable, uncrewed spaceplane operated in partnership between Boeing and the U.S. Space Force. Since its first launch in 2010, it has spent more than 4,200 cumulative days in orbit.
For OTV-8, the U.S. Space Force has partnered with the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Innovation Unit. General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, said the laser communications test will enhance the Space Force’s ability to work with commercial networks. “It will strengthen the resilience, reliability, adaptability, and data transport speeds of our satellite communications architectures,” he said.
Also aboard the mission is a quantum inertial sensor, designed to support precise navigation in GPS-denied environments. Colonel Ramsey Hom, Commander of Space Delta 9, said the demonstration has direct relevance for deep space operations. “Whether navigating beyond Earth-based orbits in cis-lunar space or operating in GPS-denied environments, quantum inertial sensing allows for robust navigation capabilities where GPS navigation is not possible,” he said.
The mission builds on the success of OTV-7, which concluded in March 2025, and reflects a broader shift toward leveraging experimental space assets for both strategic advantage and long-duration capability development.
