SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket successfully launched the US military's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on its seventh secretive mission late Thursday night. The uncrewed and autonomously operating spacecraft, designed for the Air Force by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:07 pm Eastern Time. The launch marked the first time the X-37B was deployed on a Falcon Heavy, one of the most powerful operational rockets.

Details about the mission remain scarce. The Pentagon has released minimal information about the X-37B drone and its objectives. The only indication provided was the mission code name - USSF-52, as cited by SpaceX in their statement on the launch. Previous missions of the X-37B have involved conducting cutting-edge experiments, including operating the reusable spaceplane in new orbital regimes, testing future space domain awareness technologies, and studying the effects of radiation on materials provided by NASA.

The X-37B, about the size of a small bus, resembles a miniature version of the retired manned space shuttles. It has previously carried out tests for NASA, such as examining the impact of radiation on seeds and other materials. This mission aims to continue pushing the boundaries of scientific research in space.

The launch of the X-37B comes just two weeks after China sent its own secretive robotic space plane, Shenlong, into orbit. While details of the Chinese mission remain undisclosed, state news agency Xinhua reported that the launch is intended to support the peaceful use of space through reusable technology verification and space science experiments.

SpaceX's successful launch of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle underscores the company's growing reputation as a reliable partner for military and scientific missions. The Falcon Heavy's capability to carry payloads of up to 26,700 kilograms into deep space positions SpaceX at the forefront of private space exploration.

The exact destination and duration of the X-37B's mission are undisclosed, leaving space enthusiasts and observers eagerly awaiting updates on the spacecraft's activities and achievements while it remains in orbit.