Photos: X-37B returns to Earth

BY JUSTIN RAY
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: June 16, 2012

Capping a 15-month clandestine military mission circling the planet, the Pentagon's miniature spaceplane, one quarter the size of NASA's now-retired space shuttle, returned to Earth just after dawn Saturday for a pinpoint touchdown at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Once initial inspections and safing on the runway occurred, the spaceplane was towed to a processing hangar.

See our landing story.

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

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