The recent launch of the USSF-52 mission for the elusive X-37B space plane has been postponed from its original date of Dec. 7 to Dec. 10, as determined by the U.S. Space Force. This change comes as a result of launch schedule shifts and availability concerns at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, the intended launching site onboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
This mission was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances in scheduling and availability at Launch Complex-39A (LC-39A), according to a statement by the Space Force. “We partner closely with our launch service providers, and the entire team is focused on executing a successful mission,” said Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen of Space Launch Delta 45, in a Space Systems Command (SSC) email.
Following the rescheduling, the USSF-52 mission is now slated to take place at Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A, and the launch window will be disclosed as the date approaches, according to the SSC email. This will mark the first launch of the reusable space plane on a Falcon Heavy rocket, a significant departure from its previous launches on United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rockets and a Falcon 9.
X-37B’s most recent mission saw a 908-day journey in orbit, culminating in its return to Earth on Nov. 12, 2022. This upcoming launch is anticipated to propel the space plane farther into the cosmos than ever before, utilizing Falcon Heavy’s capabilities to carry heavier payloads into higher orbits.
USSF-52’s objectives include the spacecraft’s operation in new orbital regimes, along with various experiments such as NASA’s “Seeds-2” to test the effects of long-duration spaceflight on plant seeds and the deployment of space domain awareness technologies. To mark its new chapter with the Space Force, X-37B now sports the Space Force’s logo, as depicted in an image shared by the Space Force in a recent statement.
(Image credit: U.S. Space Force)
Falcon Heavy, the rocket of choice for this mission, has previously launched national security payloads for the Space Force using refurbished stages. In fact, the side boosters launching USSF-52 have already been part of several previous missions, including the Space Force launches in November 2022 and January 2023, as well as the launch of the Hughes JUPITER 3 communications satellite and NASA’s Psyche probe earlier this year.
