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US military space drone returns to Earth after 908 days in orbit

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="X-37B orbital test vehicle concludes sixth successful mission. Photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Shanks " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/11/14/plane.jpg"/><figcaption>X-37B orbital test vehicle concludes sixth successful mission. <em>Photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Shanks </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>WASHINGTON, United States - A US military space drone landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday after nearly two and a half years in orbit, Boeing said. </p><p>The unmanned X-37B shuttle, whose first flight took place in 2010, has now spent a total of more than 10 years in space and flown more than 1.3 billion miles during six missions, Boeing said in a statement. </p><p>&quot;This mission highlights the Space Force&#x27;s focus on collaboration in space exploration and expanding low-cost access to space for our partners, within and outside of the Department of the Air Force,&quot; said General Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/06/28/19/nasa-to-send-drone-to-saturns-moon-for-clues-on-human-origins">NASA to send drone to Saturn&#x27;s moon for clues on human origins</a></li></ul><p>Launched in secrecy, the X-37B was designed for the Air Force by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. </p><p>It is 30 feet (nine meters) long, has a 15-foot wingspan and is powered by solar panels. </p><p>Before the shuttle&#x27;s last launch, in May 2020, the Pentagon evoked a series of scientific experiments it would undertake. </p><p>The mission was to test how certain materials react in space, to evaluate how ambient radiation in space affects a series of seeds, and to transform solar radiation into radio-electric energy, the army said. </p><div><strong>chp/mdl/bbk</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1705623" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

A US military space drone landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday after nearly two and a half years in orbit, Boeing said. 