The secret space shuttle X-37B, owned by the US Space Force, is preparing for a new launch — and this time it will bring with it technology from the future: quantum navigation. The mission, numbered OTV-8 (Orbital Test Vehicle-8), will launch no earlier than August 21 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and a Falcon 9 launch vehicle from SpaceX will launch it into the sky.
The X-37B is like a space spy: a small, mini-shuttle-like craft capable of orbiting for months without a crew, conducting classified experiments. His missions are kept top secret, but now part of the plans has been revealed: one of the key cargoes is an experimental quantum navigation system.
Why is it needed? The fact is that modern satellite systems like GPS are vulnerable: they can be jammed, deceived, or disabled in a conflict. And quantum navigation is a technology that does not depend on external signals. It uses ultra-precise quantum sensors (such as atomic interferometers) to determine position in space based on the fundamental laws of physics. In other words, it's a super—accurate compass that won't let you down, even if the GPS disappears.
The US Space Force explicitly stated: "Testing this technology will be useful for navigating in difficult conditions" — which, in their style, means: We are preparing for a war where the enemy will jam the GPS, but we must continue to fly, shoot and find the target.
The X-37B has already completed seven mysterious missions, some lasting more than 900 days. It is not known what he was doing, but it is assumed that these were tests of new materials, surveillance, and possibly even the launch of small satellites.
Now a quantum breakthrough is being added to this list. If the test is successful, future military and reconnaissance vehicles will be able to navigate in space, on Earth, and even underwater — without a single signal from orbit.
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