China’s ‘Mysterious’ Space Aircraft Comes Back To Earth After 8 Months; Expert Says Could Have Been Used For ‘Nefarious’ Purposes

By
Sakshi Tiwari
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As the space race between China and the United States escalates, a mysterious Chinese space plane has landed on Earth after spending more than 267 days or roughly eight months in orbit. The program and its mission, however, remain veiled in secrecy.

Chinese state news agency Xinhua published a brief report on September 5 confirming the return of this unnamed spacecraft to Earth. Interestingly, the report did not include information regarding the spacecraft’s mission, landing location, or photos.

In a very concise announcement, the report stated that the experiment’s “success demonstrates the growing maturity of China’s reusable spacecraft technologies, which will pave the way for more convenient and affordable round-trip methods for the peaceful use of space in the future.”

In December 2023, China launched a spacecraft from Jiuquan spaceport using a Long March 2F rocket, marking the country’s third known orbital mission. The launch happened just two weeks before the most recent unmanned Boeing X-37B aircraft from the US military was launched.

Much like China’s unknown spaceplane, the X-37B is by far the US’s ‘most secretive’ spaceplane. Nevertheless, more information about the American spacecraft is available than about its Chinese counterpart.

While little is known about the development and mission of this unknown reusable spacecraft, we understand that it is part of an expansive Chinese effort to overtake the US in the ongoing space race where the US has been an indisputable dominant power for several years.

Space planes are frequently designed as reusable vehicles that combine the characteristics of aircraft and spacecraft, enabling them to operate effectively in the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. According to analysts, the US X-37B and the Chinese spacecraft are both launched into orbit using rockets and land on runways in a way similar to an aircraft.

Spacecraft are important because they can be used for orbital missions, help countries respond quickly to space developments, and develop reusable spacecraft technology, which could eventually be applied to more frequent human spaceflight.

Reusability is essential for quick and inexpensive space travel by putting heavy payloads into orbit. Also, reusability enables high launch cadence and faster turnarounds. As modern warfare quickly moves into space, reusable space planes are anticipated to be crucial to future conflicts.

According to experts, such aircraft could be used to “retrieve or otherwise interact with friendly ones” or to “surveil, disrupt and outright attack an opponent’s space-based assets”.

Chinese space rocket/Representational Image

What Is Known About This Secret Spacecraft?

Shenlong, as the Chinese secretive spacecraft is referred to in some reports, completed its orbital debut in 2020 and spent only two days in orbit. However, during its second journey, which started in late 2022, it remained in orbit for 276 days and landed on Earth in May 2023.

Before the first flight, the spacecraft’s developer, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), revealed plans for a fully reusable, two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) space transportation system. The Chinese Natural Science Foundation provided national financing for CASC’s space plane project in 2022. Analysts believe that all the flights have concluded with landings at the Lop Nur military, located in Xinjiang, in the far northwest of the country.

The system’s development is consistent with China’s larger aim to develop reusable spaceflight technologies and expand its access to space. The interval between the vehicle’s subsequent launch and landing may shed light on advancements made in reusability.

On its third flight, which concluded recently, the spaceplane was also caught on camera when a satellite observer managed to get fresh images of the enigmatic Chinese spacecraft, capturing it in midair. At that time, the satellite spotter, Felix Schöfbänker, estimated the craft’s length to be roughly 30 feet or 10 meters, which puts it longer than the American X-37B spacecraft.

However, he mentioned that “this could also be a bit off since the angle that the plane is illuminated could hide certain features”.

Boeing X-37 - Wikipedia
Boeing X-37 – Wikipedia

Earlier, Yang Liwei, the first Chinese sent into space, told Guangzhou Daily that the new spacecraft could transport seven astronauts. “It will also play a critical role in the future construction of China’s space station and moon landing mission,” Yang said.

Moreover, spacecraft watchers on the ground also saw the spacecraft launching a small object into orbit, much like they had seen in earlier missions. It appeared that the spacecraft engaged in what has been referred to as rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) with the object, i.e., it tested its ability to locate and approach the object in space.

These activities can be used to maintain or repair friendly satellites. It is widely thought that military superpowers are refining these strategies in preparation for potential interventions with adversarial satellites during future orbital confrontations.

Juliana Suess, a research fellow for space security at London-based defense think tank, the Royal United Services Institute, or RUSI, was quoted by CNN: “This capability to maneuver close to another object could be used for inspection of space assets, or potentially the clearing of orbits of space debris. But they could be used for nefarious purposes, including interception of signals or the physical damage of other spacecraft.”

Although there isn’t any proof that China’s spacecraft is being built to serve as a counter-space weapon, analysts note that the knowledge and skills it acquires from its flights may have other uses. Similar apprehensions regarding the US X-37B have been expressed by China and Russia.

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