A US intelligence agency has released the clearest photograph yet of China’s mysterious spaceplane, revealing a spacecraft that has been secretly operating hundreds of miles above Earth and releasing unidentified objects into orbit.
The photograph, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) on Monday, shows the reusable spacecraft believed to be Shenlong, or “Divine Dragon”, which bears a striking resemblance to the US military’s X-37B spaceplane.
Captured in 2024 by a commercial satellite operated by Maxar Technologies, now known as Vantor, the image reveals the Chinese spacecraft’s wings, open cargo bay and solar panels extending from its rear.
The photograph appeared on page 53 of the DIA’s 130-page report, Challenges to Security in Space, which examines potential threats to American satellites and other space assets.
China has kept the spacecraft’s design and missions largely secret since its first orbital flight in September 2020.
According to publicly available tracking data, the spaceplane has released at least nine unidentified objects into orbit since 2022, although their exact purpose remains unknown.
Some of these objects are believed to be small satellites used to test manoeuvres involving approaching, capturing and releasing other spacecraft.
The vehicle is currently believed to be on its fourth mission, having launched aboard a Long March 2F rocket on February 7.
Like America’s X-37B, Shenlong can spend months orbiting Earth before returning to land on a runway for future missions.
Chinese authorities maintain that their reusable spacecraft programme is intended to develop technologies for more convenient and affordable space travel.
However, the newly released photograph has renewed interest in Beijing’s growing space capabilities amid increasing competition between China and the United States.
Despite speculation about its possible military applications, there is no public evidence that Shenlong carries weapons.
