Wrapping up a classified 469-day mission, an unmanned Air Force area plane dropped out of orbit and came back to Earth on Saturday, executing an automatic landing to shut out the program's second check flight.
An unmanned Air Force area plane dropped out of orbit and glided to a computer-controlled California landing early Saturday to shut out a classified 469-day military mission.
The reusable Boeing-built X-37B Orbital take a look at Vehicle touched down on a runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., at 5:48 a.m. PDT (GMT-7). The Air Force failed to offer any advance warning of the re-entry and landing time and no technical details concerning the vehicle's performance were released.
The Air Force's unmanned X-37B spaceplane glided to a pinpoint landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Saturday once 15-and-a-half months in orbit on a classified military mission.
(Credit: U.S. Air Force)
But in an exceedingly statement, the Air Force said the autonomous landing by the nation's "newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft" was executed "safely and successfully."
The reusable Boeing-built X-37B Orbital take a look at Vehicle touched down on a runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., at 5:48 a.m. PDT (GMT-7). The Air Force failed to offer any advance warning of the re-entry and landing time and no technical details concerning the vehicle's performance were released.
The Air Force's unmanned X-37B spaceplane glided to a pinpoint landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Saturday once 15-and-a-half months in orbit on a classified military mission.
(Credit: U.S. Air Force)
But in an exceedingly statement, the Air Force said the autonomous landing by the nation's "newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft" was executed "safely and successfully."
"With the retirement of the house shuttle fleet, the X-37B OTV program brings a singular capability to house technology development," Air Force Lt. Col. Tom McIntyre, X-37B program manager, said within the statement. "The come back capability permits the Air Force to check new technologies while not identical risk commitment faced by different programs. We're happy with the whole team's successful efforts to bring this mission to an excellent conclusion."
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| The Air Force's unmanned X-37B spaceplane glided to a pinpoint landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Saturday when 15-and-a-half months in orbit on a classified military mission. (Credit: U.S. Air Force) |
The X-37B was launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas five rocket that took off March five, 2011, from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. it had been the second flight for the Air Force Orbital take a look at Vehicle program following a successful 224-day maiden voyage in 2010. The spacecraft used for that mission is anticipated to be relaunched in October.
As with the initial take a look at flight, details regarding the program's just-concluded second mission are classified.
As with the initial take a look at flight, details regarding the program's just-concluded second mission are classified.
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