Space Force's X-37B Spaceplane to Launch on SpaceX Falcon Heavy, First Time for Heavier Rocket Use

Launch set for Dec. 7 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, carrying multiple experiments including NASA's Seeds-2 to test space radiation effects on plant seeds; switch to heavier rocket may indicate heavier payload or new hardware configuration.

The US Space Force's X-37B spaceplane is set to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 7, marking the first time the spacecraft will be launched on a Falcon Heavy.
The reason behind the switch to Falcon Heavy, SpaceX's heaviest rocket, is unclear but could suggest that the space plane is carrying a heavier payload or has a new hardware configuration.
The mission, dubbed USSF-52, will expand the US Space Force's understanding of the space environment by conducting experiments with future space domain awareness technologies.
One of the experiments on board is NASA's Seeds-2 which aims to study the effects of space-based radiation on plant seeds during long-duration spaceflight. The knowledge could be useful for planning future crewed missions.
The Boeing-built, uncrewed X-37B spaceplane launched its first mission in 2010. Its previous mission saw it spend 908 days in orbit.