In the completion of an important test, the Boeing Starliner returned to Earth Wednesday afternoon, landing under three parachute canopies to settle on the dirt of the White Sands missile testing range in New Mexico, the Washington Post reports.
The un-crewed vessel completed an automated trip to the International Space Station and returned on schedule, demonstrating to both Boeing and NASA the craft was capable of making unmanned supply missions.
Boeing announced that the vessel, cushioned by air bags on the landing, came down just three-tenths of a mile, about 1,500 feet, from the calculated landing spot.