flown bySpaceXUSA

Boeing X-37B OTV-7

Success
DEC 29202301:07:00 UTC

Fourth flight of the second X-37B airframe, and the first X-37B mission launched on a Falcon Heavy - all prior missions flew on Atlas V or Falcon 9. The spacecraft flew to a highly elliptical orbit (323 × 38,838 km, 59.1° inclination), the first time an X-37B had operated outside low Earth orbit.

The classified payload contract was awarded in June 2018 for $130 million, increased to $149.2 million in August 2021 due to a change in requirements. The Air Force confirmed the payload would be the X-37B spaceplane just one month before launch.

launched fromLC-39AKennedy

aboardFalcon Heavy B5FH-009intoOther

Boosters · 3

  • 01Booster 1B1084
    coreno recovery attempt
  • 02Booster 2B1064.5
    sideLanded on ground pad · LZ-1
  • 03Booster 3B1065.5
    sideLanded on ground pad · LZ-2

Payload

USSF-52 (Boeing X-37 B OTV-7)

Military communications