An unmanned Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket lifts off from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Wednesday, February 11, 2015, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. On board is the Deep Space Climate Observatory, which will head toward a solar-storm lookout point a million miles away. (Photo by John Raoux/AP Photo)

The X-47B prototype on Tuesday flew off an aircraft carrier and into the history books. Today's achievement, the first-ever catapult launch of an unmanned aircraft from the flight deck of a carrier, promises to open up a new chapter in the annals of naval aviation. Photo: An X-47B pilot-less drone combat aircraft is launched for the first time off an aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia, May 14, 2013. The U.S. Navy made aviation history on Tuesday by catapulting an unmanned jet off an aircraft carrier for the first time, testing a long-range, stealthy, bat-winged plane that represents a jump forward in drone technology. (Photo by Jason Reed/Reuters)

A helicopter pours water over a wildfire with the Space Shuttle Endeavour seen through heavy smoke in the background April 27, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Photo by Roberto Gonzalez/Getty Images)

NASA space shuttle Atlantis is prepared on the Vehicle Assembly Building floor at the Kennedy Space Center May 18, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The space shuttle program ends with Atlantis mission STS-135 scheduled for early July. Space shuttle Atlantis will carry the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module to deliver supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing spacecraft and return a failed ammonia pump module. (Photo by Roberto Gonzalez/Getty Images)

Actress Charlize Theron attends the launch of DIOR VIII hosted by Charlize Theron at Dior Boutique on June 8, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

3D interactive artist Joe Hill poses with one of his works as part of the VisitBritain tourism campaign at Circular Quay on September 6, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Fan Bingbing attends the new High Jewellery Collection “Sortilege de Cartier” launch dinner at Villa Aurelia on September 17, 2011 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Cartier)

People purchase the book “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson on launch day at Shanghai's City of Books on October 24, 2011 in Shanghai, China. The book was launched in 30 book cities at the same time across the country. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images)