A NASA research plane malfunctioned and had to touch down in Texas without landing gear on Tuesday, sliding across the runway on its belly and sending plumes of flame behind it, a video posted to social media showed. The crew landed the plane at Ellington Airport, southeast of Houston, and are "all safe at this time," NASA said in a post on X. The federal space agency added that there was "mechanical issue" that will be investigated. The aircraft with its distinct thin fuselage is the NASA WB-