What Is NASA’s Super Guppy? Watch As Strange Aircraft Lands in Arizona

What Is NASA’s Super Guppy? Watch As Strange Aircraft Lands in Arizona

NASA's Super Guppy aircraft landed in Arizona on Thursday in footage that has been viewed widely on Twitter.The large cargo plane touched down at the Mesa Gateway Airport, though it is not clear why the plane was there or what it was carrying.The Super Guppy is known for its strange shape, characterized by a bulbous fuselage that makes it appear top-heavy. A video of it landing can be seen below.NASA has used the Super Guppy for decades as a means of transporting large cargo that would be otherwise difficult to move across the country.The plane has transported spacecraft parts and even other aircraft within its large cargo bay, which is 111ft long, 25ft wide, and 25ft high. It is capable of taking off while carrying 170,000lbs of weight, is powered by four turbine engines with propellers, and has a cruising speed of 250 miles per hour. The vehicle can fly to a height of 25,000 feet.NASA started using the first Guppy aircraft in the 60s to quickly transport large rocket parts. Before the Guppy, rocket parts had to be shipped by boat in a lengthy journey through the Gulf of Mexico or Panama Canal, which took up valuable time.Aero Spaceline