The U.S. Space Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission Seven successfully landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., March 7, 2025. The X-37B landed at Vandenberg SFB to exercise the service’s ability to recover the spaceplane across multiple sites.
Image credit: U.S. Space Force courtesy photo
That hush-hush flight of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 (OTV-7) has come to full stop – landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on March 7 at 02:22 a.m. Easter Standard Time.
This seventh mission of the space plane program remained on-orbit for over 434 days. It was launched to a highly elliptical high Earth orbit aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket back on December 28, 2023.
In a U.S. Space Force posted release, the landing of the automated spacecraft at Vandenberg Space Force Base spotlights its rapid ability to launch and recover its systems across multiple sites.
Artist rendering of the X-37B performing an aerobraking maneuver using the drag of Earth’s atmosphere.
Image credit: Boeing Space
Highly elliptical orbit
X-37B’s Mission 7 was the first launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket to a highly elliptical orbit. After aerobraking to a low Earth orbit and completing its test and experimentation objectives, the space plane successfully performed its deorbit and landing procedures.
As did the previous (OTV-6) space plane trek, OTV-7 also involved a service module that expanded the capabilities of the spacecraft.
OTV-6 was the first mission to introduce a service module that expanded the capabilities of the spacecraft.
Image credit: Staff Sgt. Adam Shanks
Aerobraking breakthrough
“The successful completion of the novel aerobraking maneuver demonstrated the agile and flexible capabilities the X-37B provides the United States Space Force,” according to the statement issued by the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs.
The aerobraking technique entails use of atmospheric drag over the course of multiple passes to change orbits while expending minimal fuel.
“While on orbit, Mission 7 accomplished a range of test and experimentation objectives intended to demonstrate the X-37B’s robust maneuver capability while helping characterize the space domain through the testing of space domain awareness technology experiments,” the statement notes.
Image credit: Boeing/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Flight roster
Here’s a listing of previous flights of the space plane:
OTV-1: launched on April 22, 2010 and landed on December 3, 2010, spending over 224 days on orbit.
OTV-2: launched on March 5, 2011 and landed on June 16, 2012, spending over 468 days on orbit.
OTV-3: launched on December 11, 2012 and landed on October 17, 2014, spending over 674 days on-orbit.
OTV-4: launched on May 20, 2015 and landed on May 7, 2015, spending nearly 718 days on-orbit.
OTV-5: launched on September 7, 2017 and landed on October 27, 2019, spending nearly 780 days on-orbit.
OTV-6: Launched on May 17, 2020 and landed on November 12, 2022, circling Earth for 908 days.
Image credit: Boeing/Inside Outer Space Screengrab
First use technologies
The builder of the vehicle, Boeing, has previously noted that the X-37B makes use of several “first use in space” technologies including:
— Avionics designed to automate all de-orbit and landing functions.
— Flight controls and brakes using all electro-mechanical actuation; no hydraulics on board.
— Use of a lighter composite structure, rather than traditional aluminum.
— New generation high-temperature wing leading-edge tiles and toughened uni-piece fibrous refractory oxidation-resistant ceramic (TUFROC) tiles and advanced conformal reusable insulation (CRI) blankets.
Image credit: Boeing/Inside Outer Space screengrab
New chapter
In its earlier missions, OTV-1, OTV-2, and OTV-3 touched down at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. That changed with the OTV-4, OTV-5, and OTV-6 missions landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Commenting on Mission 7’s achievements, the X-37B Program Director, Lt. Col. Blaine Stewart stated in a post-landing comment: “Mission 7’s operation in a new orbital regime, its novel aerobraking maneuver, and its testing of space domain awareness experiments have written an exciting new chapter in the X-37B program. Considered together, they mark a significant milestone in the ongoing development of the U.S. Space Force’s dynamic mission capability.”