China’s latest hypersonic test plane is using landing technology abandoned by Nasa

Chinese researchers say they have revived a wheel-less landing technology invented by Nasa more than 60 years ago, and it is being used on the country’s latest hypersonic test plane.

Most winged aircraft land on a set of wheels that absorb shock and help with braking and steering. But the team at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics say they have gone back to using skid landing gears for the test plane, with the help of artificial intelligence.