Video: Space taxi makes its first test flight in California The Dream Chaser model aircraft was carried to an altitude of 12,500 feet by a helicopter and then released to glide back to the runway. The unmanned aircraft successfully positioned itself for landing, but skidded as in touched down on the runway. One of its three landing gears did not deploy, causing the plane to skid off the landing strip and into the sand. Engineers are still assessing how much damage was sustained. The taxis will fly astronauts to the International Space Station, following the retirement of traditional shuttles.