China’s Top-Secret Spaceplane Failed to Hide in Low Earth Orbit
A U.S. commercial satellite photographed a Chinese vehicle in 2024 that resembles the military X-37B spaceplane.
The photograph shows delta wings, cargo-bay doors, a dark heat shield and a service module with solar panels. The vehicle’s design largely replicates that of the American X-37B.
The satellite belonged to Vantor, a company known as Maxar in 2024. The full-size image became publicly available on Monday: it was included in the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency’s unclassified assessment of threats to the United States in space.
New information about the spaceplane’s purpose is limited. China has launched 4 such missions since 2020, with their duration reaching 9 months. The 4th mission has remained in orbit since its launch in February, but it is unknown whether the country has 1 or several such vehicles.
