USSF-36 (OTV-8) launch thread
USSF-36 (OTV-8) launch thread
| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-08-22, 03:50 |
|---|---|
| Scheduled for (local) | 2025-08-21, 23:50 (EDT) |
| Launch site | LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA |
| Booster | B1092-6 |
| Landing | LZ-2 |
| Payload | X-37B autonomous spaceplane |
| Customer | United States Space Force |
| Target orbit | LEO |
Webcasts
| Stream | Link |
|---|---|
| Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wipfIrakKHc |
| Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxaypgtnfGY |
| NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOk01fatsys |
| The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-6K8G39Svo |
| SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1958733521603764383 |
| The Space Devs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-r8NWJR1uw |
Stats
Sourced from NextSpaceflight and r/SpaceX:
☑️ 18th launch from LC-39A this year
☑️ 20 days, 12:06:18 turnaround for this pad
☑️ 13th landing on LZ-2
☑️ 54 days, 23:24:00 turnaround for B1092
☑️ 494th Falcon family booster landing, 503rd Falcon recovery attempt
☑️ 101st Falcon 9 mission of 2025, 519th overall
☑️ 104th SpaceX mission of 2025, 544th overall (excluding Starship hops)
☑️ 104th SpaceX launch of 2025, 553rd overall (including Starship hops)
Mission info
USSF-36 (OTV-8)
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 demonstrations of high-bandwidth inter-satellite laser communications technologies and enhanced space navigation using the highest performing quantum inertial sensor in space.