Around 3 p. m. on May 24 at five o’clock in the afternoon. ET, China’s mysterious Shenlong spaceplane dropped an unidentified flying object six hundred kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Experts outside of China don’t know exactly what it is, however, they may simply be a small satellite or a piece of hardware ejected before the planned spacecraft deorbits.
The U. S. Space Force The U. S. Navy has been tracking the spaceplane since it was introduced aboard a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan launch center on Dec. 14. Little is known about the craft, it appears to be similar to the clandestine Boeing X-37B spaceplane. developed across the United States, capable of orbital tours for years. China’s secret spaceplane was first introduced in 2020 and remained in orbit for only two days. However, it remained in the air for 276 days on its second trip, which began in the past. due 2022.
Shenlong (meaning “Dragon God”) deployed six smaller pieces shortly after its release last year; Each one must emit some kind of signal. So far, Chinese officials have maintained secrecy about the plane and its activities, and have not addressed the nature of the mysterious assets or even declared them.
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Meanwhile, the U. S. military’s X-37B spaceplane is also in Earth orbit. The spacecraft was unveiled on Dec. 28 on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The fact that the two missions are operational is “probably not a coincidence,” the Space Force leader said. Area Operations Director B. Chance Saltzman to Air Magazine
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Perhaps not unexpectedly, Chinese state media has not indicated any request from the military for the space plane. “After operating in orbit for some time, the experimental aircraft will return to the designated landing site in China,” Xinhua reported, according to Gizmodo. “During this period, reusable generation verifications and scientific experiments will be carried out in the area as planned, thus offering techniques for non-violent use of the area. “
Reusable space planes have many potential advertising and clinical applications, adding passenger transport and more effective satellite launches. However, the Space Force will continue to monitor the Shenlong project until it returns to Earth.
Joanna Thompson is a science journalist and runner in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Bachelor of Arts in Art Writing from North Carolina State University, as well as a Master of Science Journalism from New York University’s Science, Health, and Environment Reporting program. Find more of his paintings in Scientific American, The Daily Beast, Atlas Obscura, or Audubon Magazine.
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