U.S. Intel Confirms This Is China's Secret Spaceplane

Key Points:

• The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) confirmed that a widely circulated image shows an experimental Chinese reusable spaceplane in orbit, closely resembling the U.S. X-37B space shuttle operated by the U.S. Space Force.
• The image was captured by a Maxar Technologies satellite and included in a recent DIA report on global space security, highlighting China’s development of spaceplanes capable of launching, testing payloads, and returning to Earth.
• China has conducted at least four orbital missions with this spaceplane since 2020, with recent missions involving the deployment of unknown smaller objects from the vehicle’s payload bay.
• The spaceplane likely lands at a secretive Chinese airbase with a long runway, similar to the U.S. Area 51, and DIA notes China operates two main spaceplane models: Shenlong and Tengyun, though the specific model in the image is unspecified.
• DIA’s report emphasizes that reusable spaceplanes offer enhanced maneuverability and reusability, making them valuable for rapid satellite deployment, intelligence gathering, and potential military applications, reflecting China’s broader push to expand its space capabilities.