This was also a record-setting flight. The 718-day stint trounces the 674 days of the third expedition, which landed in 2014. It's apparent that the X-37B has little trouble handling extended trips -- far longer than the official 270-day ceiling. While it's unclear how much longer the USAF plans to use the drone, it's safe to say that flight time for any future adventures is now dictated more by the mission itself than technical limitations.

Also, the landing helps fulfill visions of the revived Kennedy center as a bustling, multi-user spaceflight hub. While SpaceX was quick to spring for a 20-year lease for the famous 39A launch pad, the port has remained relatively quiet beyond that. NASA will eventually rejoin the fray when it uses pad 39B for its Space Launch System's first blast-off in 2019. It'll be a while before KSC is in full swing, then, but it's definitely much more than a relic of space travel's earlier days.