US Image Reveals Chinese Spaceplane in Orbit
A US intelligence report published the first clear image of China's reusable spaceplane in orbit, captured by a commercial satellite in 2024.
A US intelligence report published the first clear image of China's reusable spaceplane in orbit, providing new details about a vehicle shrouded in secrecy, according to SpaceNews.
The image was taken in 2024 by a commercial satellite belonging to Maxar Technologies, now known as Vantor, and was included in the unclassified US Defense Intelligence Agency report "Challenges to Security in Space".
The image shows a Chinese reusable vehicle that resembles the space shuttle and the US X-37B spaceplane.
The report did not reveal additional details regarding the vehicle's missions or payload. Commercial satellite imagery is increasingly used to monitor military spacecraft and verify their nature.
What do these terms mean?
Spaceplane: A vehicle launched into orbit like a rocket and then returning to land like an airplane, capable of being reused for multiple missions.
Commercial satellite imagery: High-resolution images captured by private companies and sold to governments and researchers, enabling the tracking of objects in orbit.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO): An orbit close to Earth that commercial satellites monitor with relative ease, where most crewed spacecraft operate.
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