X-37B liftoff time: SpaceX rocket to launch secret Space Force space plane in FloridaBrooke Edwards, Florida Today
Florida TodayThu, August 21, 2025 at 5:03 AM EDT
2 min read
The mysterious Space Force space plane is scheduled to head to orbit again -- and it will be announcing its launch with a sonic boom.
SpaceX has confirmed the launch of the Boeing-built X-37B space plane will be no earlier than 11:50 p.m. Thursday, August 21, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A. It will not be a quiet launch for the Space Coast.
The Space Force's X-37B will lift off atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and then just eight minutes after liftoff, the rocket's first stage will come in for a landing at Cape Canaveral Landing Zone 2. As a result, a sonic boom will sound throughout Brevard County and surrounding areas shortly after the landing.
Upon liftoff, the rocket will fly on a northeast trajectory. This means those north of the Space Coast could have good viewing of the launch.
Known as USSF-36, this mission will be the X-37B's eighth flight -- having first launched from Cape Canaveral back in April 2010 atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. The Space Force refers to the X-37B as the Orbital Test Vehicle, and this mission as OTV-8. This isn't SpaceX's first launch of the space plane. The company also launched missions five (OTV-5) and seven (OTV-7).
On this flight, the X-37B will be demonstrating critical space technology for deep space exploration. This includes testing a new sensor, which will enable GPS contact where communication would have previously been difficult.
In total, the X-37B has spent more than 4,200 days in orbit across its past seven missions. It's unknown how long the vehicle will spend in orbit on this mission.
Check back for live FLORIDA TODAY updates beginning 90 minutes before liftoff on this page.
Countdown TimerBrooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: When is X-37B liftoff? SpaceX launch of space plane from Florida
