Cape canaveral: American space exploration technologies company SpaceX launched the US Space Force's X-37B spaceplane Friday on its eighth mission.

According to Qatar News Agency, the company confirmed that the launch was carried out using a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, with the spaceplane set to perform a series of technical and research tasks.

SpaceX noted that the rocket successfully delivered its payload into low Earth orbit approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, before landing on a floating platform in the ocean off the coast of Florida.

The company explained that the X-37B, which measures 8.8 meters (29 feet) in length, is a scaled-down version of NASA's retired space shuttles. It is primarily used as a testbed for advanced technologies and sensor systems.