Pentagon Reveals Image of China’s Mysterious Spaceplane
A Chinese spacecraft resembling the US military’s X-37B spaceplane was captured in orbit by a US-owned commercial satellite in 2024. The Pentagon has now released a full-resolution image of this vehicle.
The Chinese spaceplane features delta wings, payload bay doors, a dark heat shield, and a rear-mounted service module equipped with solar arrays. Its design closely mirrors that of the X-37B operated by the US Space Force.
Commercial Satellite Observation
The photograph was taken by a commercial imaging satellite owned by Vantor, known as Maxar in 2024. Vantor provides reconnaissance imagery to the US military and intelligence agencies, and its Earth-imaging satellites can also observe objects in space.
Prior to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, lower-resolution images of the Chinese spaceplane had been available. A US Space Force official disclosed Maxar’s observation at a conference in South Korea in 2024, but the Pentagon only made the full-resolution image public on October 29, 2026, in an unclassified DIA assessment of space threats.
Limited Information on Capabilities
The DIA report does not provide new insights into the Chinese spaceplane’s functions. Since 2020, China has launched four spaceplane missions, with the latest mission currently in orbit after a February launch. It remains unclear how many such spaceplanes China possesses.
In contrast, the US Space Force operates two X-37Bs, with their longest mission lasting two-and-a-half years. US officials have shared details about the X-37B’s design, dimensions, and some of its experiments, although most activities remain classified.
Like the X-37B, the Chinese spaceplane launches within a conventional rocket’s payload shroud and operates as a satellite in orbit. It is designed for autonomous landings after reentering the atmosphere, similar to NASA’s Space Shuttle.
Potential Missions and Developments
The DIA noted that spaceplanes like China’s are more maneuverable than traditional satellites, making them suitable for specific missions. The Chinese spaceplane has only operated in low-Earth orbit (LEO) so far, while one of the X-37B missions reached over 24,000 miles in altitude.
Both spaceplanes can deploy small satellites from their cargo bays. Recently, China demonstrated the ability to capture an object in orbit, possibly using a robotic arm. The current spaceplane released a sub-satellite in June and successfully recaptured it in July, repeating this process in August and September, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
Name and Observation Techniques
The official name of the Chinese spaceplane remains unclear. It is often referred to as Shenlong in Western sources, based on reports from the 2000s. Chinese state media calls it Chongfu Shiyong Shiyan Hangtian Qi (CSSHQ), meaning reusable experimental spacecraft.
The DIA did not disclose specific details about Maxar’s observation, such as timing or location. Earth observations often utilize cameras to view other objects in space during orbital intersections, a practice known as non-Earth imaging (NEI).
NEI enables commercial operators and government analysts to inspect satellites, providing insights into classified designs and facilitating international and corporate espionage.
China’s Counterspace Capabilities
The DIA’s assessment also addressed China’s advancements in anti-satellite technology, identifying directed-energy weapons (DEWs) as potential counterspace systems. These weapons can temporarily or permanently disable satellites. The DIA reported that China possesses multiple ground-based laser weapons capable of disrupting satellites in LEO.
By the late 2020s, China may deploy space-based directed energy systems and more powerful ground-based systems that could threaten satellites in higher orbits. The DIA noted China’s testing of ground-based anti-satellite missiles and its historic achievement of satellite refueling in geosynchronous orbit, a feat no other nation has accomplished above LEO.
In addition, China has tested a robotic arm for capturing spacecraft and operates a growing fleet of TJS satellites that routinely approach foreign spacecraft. The US Space Force has its own constellation of inspector satellites in geosynchronous orbit and has recently acquired more that could be refueled, enhancing maneuverability.
Recent developments indicate that the Pentagon has acknowledged the deployment of weapons in space, marking the US as the first nation to confirm the existence of orbital weapons.
Source: WIRED