The American X-37B space glider has landed on Earth after more than two years in space. The aircraft built by Boeing has broken several records.
The US space shuttle X-37B returns to solid ground after more than two years in Earth orbit. This was announced by the manufacturer Boeing. The plane landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and successfully completed its sixth mission.
It is not known what military tasks the space glider has mastered in space. Boeing built the plane for the Space Force, which is part of the US Department of Defense.
Just this: Experiments conducted in space included a solar energy experiment developed by the Naval Research Laboratory. It is said to be an attempt to convert the sun’s rays into microwave energy and transmit it to the earth as electricity. writes the technology magazine “The Verge”.
nasa science experiments
In addition, a satellite from the US Air Force Academy military facility is said to have been exposed during the 2021 mission, NASA reports. The satellite, called FalconSat-8, is still in orbit today.
Additionally, NASA is said to have examined the effects of vehicle conditions on space glider seeds. The experiment is for research into future interplanetary missions and the establishment of permanent bases in space, Boeing said.
With its flight, the X-37B set several records at once. With 908 flight days, it is the longest-serving space glider. The previous record was 780 days in orbit, also set by X-37B.
Service module to expand payloads
Furthermore, the reusable spacecraft has flown more than 2 billion kilometers and spent 3,774 days in space. This is also a record for a glider of this type.
According to Boeing, for the first time there was a service module on board the aircraft to increase the number of payloads to be carried on the space glider. The module separated before entering Earth’s atmosphere to “ensure a safe and successful landing,” writes Boeing.
Looking like a smaller version of NASA’s space shuttle, the X-37B space plane first flew into space in 2010. On its penultimate mission, the space shuttle launched several small satellites and returned in 2019 after 780 days. .
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