At around 3 p.m. on May 24, a mysterious Shenlong Space Plane The spacecraft released an unidentified flying object 372 miles (600 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface. Experts outside China aren’t sure exactly what it was, but they believe it could be a small satellite or a piece of hardware released by the spacecraft before it de-orbited.
The U.S. Space Force has been tracking the spaceplane since it launched aboard a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Launch Center on December 14. Little is known about the spaceplane, but it appears to resemble the one launched in secret. Boeing X-37B Spaceplane The US-developed spaceplane is capable of orbital flights for years. China’s secret spaceplane was first launched in 2020 and stayed in orbit for just two days. But on its second voyage, which began in late 2022, it will stay in the air for 276 days.
Shenron (meaning “Divine Dragon”) was deployed Six small objects shortly after launch For the past year, the Chinese government has remained secretive about the plane and its activities, refusing to mention or even acknowledge the nature of the mysterious object.
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Meanwhile, the U.S. military’s X-37B spaceplane is also in Earth orbit. The plane launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Dec. 28. The fact that the two missions are happening at the same time “is probably not a coincidence,” said B. Chance Saltzman, the Space Force’s chief of space operations. Aerospace Force Magazine.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Chinese state media has made no mention of any military uses for the spaceplane. “After a period of orbital operation, the experimental spacecraft will return to China’s designated landing site,” Xinhua reported. According to Gizmodo“During this period, we will verify reusability technology and conduct space science experiments as planned, and provide technical support for the peaceful use of space.”
A reusable spaceplane has many potential commercial and scientific uses, including transporting passengers and launching satellites more efficiently. Still, the Space Force plans to continue monitoring the Shenlong mission until it returns to Earth.
