The US Air Force is preparing to land X-37B, a kind of robotic space plane that has spent a record 665 consecutive days in space. Its purpose is a complete mystery, but it’s set to land after a ‘successful’ mission. Tuesday is the date set by the US military for the return of X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, the third landing of the secret unmanned space vehicle.
Currently, X-37B is orbiting at 28,044km/h, at a distance of around 350km in the sky. The plane will land at Vandenberg Air Force Base, after orbiting the Earth since Dec. 11, 2012, launched on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, as part of ‘Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 3′. Vandenberg officials have been released minimal details, only saying the X-37B’s exact landing date and time will depend on “technical and weather considerations”.