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The Mission




Rocket: Atlas 5 (AV-026)
Payload: X-37B - The Orbital Test Vehicle
Date: March 5, 2011
Time: 5:46 p.m. EST (2246 GMT)
Site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Broadcast: AMC 6, Transponder 5, C-band, 72° West

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Photos: Launch gallery

Photos: Press site view

Photos: Rocket rollout

Photos: X-37B readied

Our Atlas archive




Military mini-shuttle returns from 15-month top secret mission
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: June 16, 2012


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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, June 16, for a pinpoint touchdown at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The dawn touchdown is captured at first by an infrared camera. Video: 30th Space Wing Public Affairs, VAFB.



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