The US military’s classified X-37B drone was launched into space Thursday night aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.
At 11:50 p.m. (0350 GMT on Friday), the rocket successfully launched, according to SpaceX’s broadcast of the event.
Launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, the Falcon 9 illuminated the night sky.
According to the US Space Force, there will be “a wide range of test and experimentation objectives” in the drone’s mission.
The military stated in a statement last month that these operational demonstrations and trials include next-generation technologies, such as laser communications and the best-performing quantum inertial sensor ever tested in space.
It further stated that “Mission 8 will help to improve the security, efficiency, and resilience of U.S. space-based communications architectures.”
The US X-37B space drone is about the size of a small bus and resembles a miniature replica of the manned space shuttles that were retired in 2011.
The X-37B has conducted testing for the US space agency NASA on earlier voyages.
Boeing and United Launch Alliance created the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the Air Force, which has been in use since 2010.
It is powered by solar panels and is 30 feet (nine meters) in length with a wingspan of 15 feet.
