China Has 2 Military Spaceplanes, the X-37B-Like Shenlong and the Air-Launched Tengyun, and Is Building a Third, the Haolong, While the Shenlong Has Sat in Orbit Since February 7

Key Points:

• A 2024 Defense Intelligence Agency report revealed a satellite photo of China’s Shenlong reusable spaceplane in orbit, showing its payload doors open; Shenlong resembles the US X-37B but features a significantly longer wing chord.
• Space is now a critical domain for military competition among the US, China, and Russia, focusing on “counterspace” strategies aimed at denying rivals access to space assets during geopolitical crises.
• China has conducted multiple Shenlong missions since 2020, including long-duration orbits and deploying smaller objects in space, likely related to counterspace warfare capabilities and preparation for potential space conflicts.
• Besides Shenlong, China is developing other spaceplanes like the Tengyun and Haolong, with Tengyun designed as a two-stage-to-orbit system, indicating Beijing’s rapid advancement and industrial scale in space military technology.
• The current space race differs from the Cold War era by emphasizing denying access and projecting power in orbit, with China closing the gap on the US’s established capabilities, posing a growing threat to American space dominance.