Top secret US spaceship returns to Earth after 434 days on mysterious mission… and is met by hazmat-clad ground crew
A TOP secret US spaceship has touched down on Earth after spending 434 days in orbit.
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 landed at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California where it was met by hazmat-clad ground crew.
The spaceship began its return to Earth after successfully completing its "test and experimentation objectives".
The X-37B completed a never-before-seen aerobraking manoeuvre to change its orbit.
Aerobraking involves making several passes into the Earth's atmosphere which causes drag to rapidly change the craft's orbit.
In doing so, the spaceship expends minimal fuel, making it temporarily invisible to other nations who could be tracking it.
After aerobraking to a Low Earth Orbit, the spaceship performed its deorbit and landing procedures.
The US Space Force said: "While in orbit, Mission 7 tested space domain awareness technology experiments that aim to improve the United States Space Force's knowledge of the space environment.
"These technologies are critical to the U.S. Space Force's ability to conduct space operations in an increasingly congested and contested environment of space, to the benefit of all users of the domain."
The X-37B is a "dynamic unmanned spaceplane", meaning it needs no crew to operate.
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It is 29ft long and has a wingspan of 14ft, and is launched via rockets.
The X-3LB has the ability to remain in space for long periods, and has spent over a decade in orbit over six missions.
By being able to land on a runway after each mission, the X-37B shuttle is reusable, making it ideal for testing.
And it is only the third-ever reusable spacecraft, after the Soviet Buran shuttle and the US Space Shuttle - although the latter never tested this capability.
The winged, robotic spaceship has been shrouded in mystery since it's first visit to space in 2011, with very limited information about its true purpose in the public domain.
It has previously been used to test the impact of solar radiation and is reported to be used for testing on military surveillance technology, according to .
The groundbreaking aerobraking tests have been praised by officials who hope it will mark a new innovative period in space technology.
Chief of Space Operations, Gen. Chance Saltzman, said: "Mission 7 broke new ground by showcasing the X-37B's ability to flexibly accomplish its test and experimentation objectives across orbital regimes.
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"The successful execution of the aerobraking manoeuvre underscores the U.S. Space Force's commitment to pushing the bounds of novel space operations in a safe and responsible manner."
The X-37B Program Director, Lt. Col. Blaine Stewart added that the landing represented an "exciting new chapter" in the X program.
