What to Know About China’s Top-Secret Spaceplane
A newly released high-resolution satellite image shows China’s secretive spaceplane has a design broadly similar to the US Space Force’s X-37B. The image, taken by commercial imaging firm Vantor, was included in an unclassified US Defense Intelligence Agency assessment, offering a clearer look at a vehicle whose activities remain largely unknown.
China has launched four spaceplane missions since 2020, each lasting up to nine months; its latest mission began in February and remains in orbit. Open-source tracking suggests the craft released and recaptured a small satellite twice in recent months, possibly using a robotic arm. China’s spaceplane has flown in low Earth orbit, while one X-37B mission reached more than 24,000 miles; the Chinese vehicle’s official name and inventory size are unclear.
In short
- A new image shows China’s spaceplane resembles the US X-37B.
- China’s latest mission launched in February and is still in orbit.
- Tracking data suggests it has repeatedly recaptured a small satellite.
Explained simply
China’s spaceplane is a reusable, uncrewed vehicle that travels to orbit and returns to Earth. It is broadly comparable in shape to the US X-37B, a similar craft operated by the US Space Force.
China has launched the vehicle several times since 2020, keeping it in orbit for months at a time. Its official name, how many vehicles exist and what they are used for have not been made public.
The craft matters because spaceplanes can carry out activities in orbit and return to Earth, but their capabilities are difficult to assess from outside. China and the United States both operate such vehicles, while much of what they do remains undisclosed.