Tomorrow (October 14., Tuesday) to Earth after 22 plastics industry spent months in orbit should return the mysterious American Air Force X-37B spacecraft, informs Space.com.
Unmanned space plane, also known Orbital Test Vehicle 'name will land in California in the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Miniature-sized reusable spacecraft Shuttle orbit resembling machine worked from 2012. December and then spent a record total time - 671 hours a day.
"Base Vandenberg X-37B will land for the third time - a press release revising the 30th Space Division Commander Keith Baitsas.
That secret spaceship will land in the United States on October 14., Announces several news agencies, including Reuters. Spacecraft will land in a military base independently, in accordance with a pre-typed program.
United States Air Force has two X-37B spacecraft. They have flown in space missions since 2010. However, all the other missions considered confidential. Currently, whirling machine total mission is the third, and the space plane by 2012. 11 December. raised the rocket Atlas 5.
In the same space, the spaceship traveled through the first mission, which began in 2010. April. It lasted 225 days. Second mission went a second member of the tandem. It is in orbit since 2011. spent 469 days in March.
X-37B spacecraft is reduced reusable spacecraft Space Shuttle versions - to the pension issue "Space Shuttle" freight sector to accommodate up to two X-37B, each with a length of 8.8 meters and height - 2.9 meters. The total wingspan - 4,6 meters. Mini Space Shuttle "was designed and manufactured by Boeing division of Phantom Works.
