[jim_trent]

I wondered about that, too. If it is supposed to mean that it is landed by remote control (from the ground), isn’t that what they did with the earliest unmanned rockets? Don’t tell me the first monkeys in space landed their own capsules.

[tanknetter]

I wondered about that, too. If it is supposed to mean that it is landed by remote control (from the ground), isn’t that what they did with the earliest unmanned rockets? Don’t tell me the first monkeys in space landed their own capsules.

Capsules were pretty much unguided once they started reentry. The X-37, like the Shuttle, will glide to a runway landing ... just without a pilot onboard.

[BitWielder1]

I think it means landing on a runway like the shuttle without a pilot on board.
Maybe even without (much) remote control.
They have indeed used parachuted or crash landing re-entries since the 60's.

[Sax]

It’s landing is done autonomously. Beside the command to begin re-entry, all the ‘decisions’ and control are run by the systems on board the craft.