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Unmanned, solar-powered U.S. space plane back after 908 days

The Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, an unmanned, solar-powered U.S. military space plane, landed early Saturday after spending a record 908 days in orbit. Boeing /U.S. Space Force via AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — An unmanned U.S. military space plane landed early Saturday after spending a record 908 days in orbit for its sixth mission and conducting science experiments.

The solar-powered vehicle, which looks like a miniature space shuttle, landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Its previous mission lasted 780 days.

“Since the X-37B’s first launch in 2010, it has shattered records and provided our nation with an unrivaled capability to rapidly test and integrate new space technologies,” said Jim Chilton, a senior vice president for Boeing, its developer.

For the first time, the space plane hosted a service module that carried experiments for the Naval Research Laboratory, U.S. Air Force Academy and others. The module separated from the vehicle before de-orbiting to ensure a safe landing.

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