China’s top-secret spaceplane can’t hide in low-Earth orbit
A US commercial satellite photographed China’s secretive, uncrewed spaceplane in orbit in 2024, and the full-resolution image has now been released in an unclassified US Defence Intelligence Agency assessment. The sighting shows that commercial Earth-imaging satellites can also track objects in space, while offering a rare detailed view of a vehicle whose missions remain largely undisclosed.
The Chinese craft resembles the US Space Force’s X-37B, with delta wings, payload bay doors and solar arrays. China has flown four missions since 2020, lasting up to nine months; the current mission launched in February. Open-source tracking suggests it released and recaptured a small satellite twice during the summer. The DIA says spaceplanes’ manoeuvrability may suit some missions better than conventional satellites, but the report gives little detail about the craft’s purpose.
In short
- A commercial satellite captured a detailed image of China’s spaceplane.
- China has flown four missions since 2020.
- Tracking data suggests it recaptured a small satellite twice.
Explained simply
China’s spaceplane is an uncrewed vehicle designed to travel in orbit and return to Earth, and its missions are not publicly explained in detail. China has flown it several times since 2020. The US Space Force operates a similar vehicle, the X-37B.
Most satellites follow set orbits, while a spaceplane can manoeuvre and return to Earth, which may make it useful for some tasks. The US Defence Intelligence Agency assesses military capabilities, and commercial imaging satellites are privately operated spacecraft that photograph the Earth. Their ability to capture objects in orbit gives researchers and governments another way to observe space activity.
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