US Releases New Image of Secret Chinese Spaceplane in Orbit: What We Know

The United States has released a high-resolution image of China’s secretive reusable spaceplane, offering a rare view of a spacecraft whose design and activities in orbit remain largely undisclosed. The photograph, captured by commercial satellite imagery company Maxar Technologies in 2024, was included in the US Defence Intelligence Agency’s (DIA) Challenges to Security in Space 2026 report, released on October 26. Although a lower-resolution version had surfaced publicly in 2024, the latest image provides a clearer view of the vehicle’s wings, payload bay and solar arrays.

What Does The Image Reveal?

The image shows a winged spacecraft resembling a miniature space shuttle, with a dark heat shield, an apparently open payload bay and a rear service module fitted with solar arrays. The vehicle bears a strong resemblance to the US Space Force’s X-37B, an uncrewed reusable spaceplane that conducts classified orbital missions. However, the visual similarities do not establish that the two spacecraft have identical capabilities or purposes.

The Chinese vehicle is commonly referred to as Shenlong, meaning “Divine Dragon”, in Western reporting. Chinese sources have generally described it as a reusable experimental spacecraft. The DIA report discusses China’s spaceplane programme but does not publicly establish every detail of the pictured vehicle’s identity, onboard systems or mission. The exact date and circumstances of Maxar’s observation were not initially disclosed in the report’s public presentation.

China’s reusable spaceplane programme has conducted multiple orbital missions since 2020. The spacecraft has reportedly released objects and carried out interactions with objects in orbit, activities that observers monitor for clues about its capabilities. Such manoeuvres can have civilian or military applications, but the available evidence does not establish that the vehicle is carrying weapons or conducting an attack. China has disclosed limited information about its operational objectives.

Why Is The Spaceplane Significant?

Reusable spaceplanes can travel into orbit, carry out experiments or deploy payloads, and return to Earth for potential reuse. Compared with conventional satellites, their ability to manoeuvre and return to a runway can offer flexibility for testing spacecraft technologies. The military significance depends on their design and mission: the same broad capabilities could support satellite deployment, inspection or other operations, without necessarily indicating an offensive purpose.

The image was published as part of a broader US assessment of space-security challenges involving China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. The report examines developments in military space capabilities and the potential threats to satellites and other orbital infrastructure. Its release comes amid growing competition between Washington and Beijing over space technology and security. However, the photograph itself provides evidence of the spacecraft’s design, not proof of a specific military mission.