NASA's WB-57 crash lands at Houston

Beautifully controlled landing, well done to the pilot.

This is certainly a dumb question, but could a plane like this land on a softer material to try to save the airframe? Like a dry lake bed, marsh, or golf course?

What a bummer. We helped map the Kerrville floods for support of the state. Same day we mapped it, so did this WB-57 - only 35K feet above us. Such a historic and unique aircraft - I feel bad for the pilots onboard knowing it will likely total that aircraft even if it was a mechanical failure.

See also - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46788327

That's not a crash, that's a controlled landing

What will happen to the vehicle after such crash landing?

Is it possible (reasonably) to repair it? or it will never fly?

Is this the same one that was randomly in the middle east for an extended duration with no explanation?

>> The pilot then maintains control of the vehicle

This seems to have been a training flight. Im sure the black box (if there was one) heard an excited "i have control" from the senior pilot once the grinding noise started.