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MINDEN, Nev. (AP) — Officials say a space glider will visit northern Nevada for the next six months before embarking on a quest to break world flight records.
The Perlan 2 is a pressurized sailplane designed to glide to the edge of space, where air density is less than 2 percent of what it is at sea level. Sponsors welcomed the glider to Minden on Wednesday.
Officials say the aircraft will attempt to break the world record for the highest altitude sustained flight in Argentina in 2016.
They expect the glider to reach 90,000 feet and speeds exceeding 400 mph. A crew of two will breathe pure oxygen.
The glider could be used to gather information about climate change, ozone depletion and how to fly in the atmosphere on Mars.
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Information from: KRNV-TV, http://www.mynews4.com
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