The Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is proven at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. The unmanned U.S. navy area aircraft landed early Saturday after spending a document 908 days in orbit for its sixth mission and conducting science experiments. The solar-powered automobile, which appears to be like like a miniature area shuttle, landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Its earlier mission lasted 780 days. Credit: Boeing /U.S. Space Force by way of AP
An unmanned U.S. navy area aircraft landed early Saturday after spending a document 908 days in orbit for its sixth mission and conducting science experiments.
The solar-powered automobile, which appears to be like like a miniature area shuttle, landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Its earlier mission lasted 780 days.
“Since the X-37B’s first launch in 2010, it has shattered data and supplied our nation with an unmatched functionality to quickly check and combine new area applied sciences,” stated Jim Chilton, a senior vice chairman for Boeing, its developer.
For the primary time, the area aircraft hosted a service module that carried experiments for the Naval Research Laboratory, U.S. Air Force Academy and others. The module separated from the automobile earlier than de-orbiting to make sure a secure touchdown.
Among the experiments was a satellite tv for pc dubbed the FalconSat-8 that was designed and constructed by academy cadets in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory. It was deployed in October 2021 and nonetheless stays in orbit.
Another experiment evaluated the results of long-duration area publicity on seeds.
“This mission highlights the Space Force’s concentrate on collaboration in area exploration and increasing low-cost entry to area for our companions, inside and outdoors of the Department of the Air Force,” stated Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations.
The X-37Be has now flown over 1.3 billion miles and spent a complete of three,774 days in area.
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Unmanned, solar-powered US area aircraft again after 908 days (2022, November 12)
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