A veil of mystery has been partially lifted on the mysterious Chinese spaceplane, thanks to new images captured by a keen space observer. Felix Schöfbänker, an experienced satellite tracker based in Austria, photographed the secret craft during its orbital mission, revealing details of its design for the first time. The spaceplane, launched on 14 December 2023 from the Jiuquan Space Centre in northwest China, recently completed a 268-day mission in orbit, landing on 6 September 2024. Despite the success of the mission, the Chinese authorities have kept the specific characteristics and objectives of the vehicle under wraps.

According to China Global Television Network (CGTN), China’s state broadcaster, the mission aimed to conduct tests on reusable technologies and space science experiments to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space. This success, CGTN points out, highlights the growing maturity of China’s reusable spaceplane technology, paving the way for more cost-effective space travel for peaceful purposes in the future. “Its mission was to conduct reusable technology verification and space science experiments to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space,” explained the state-run China Global Television Network. “This achievement underscores the growing maturity of China’s reusable spacecraft technology, paving the way for more convenient and cost-effective space travel for peaceful purposes in the future.”

Capabilities and purposes of the Chinese vehicle

The real breakthrough, however, comes from Schöfbänker’s images. The Austrian observer managed to capture the spaceplane on 10 August, revealing a delta-wing design. This configuration, typical of vehicles designed for high-speed atmospheric re-entry, offers important clues to the capabilities and purposes of the Chinese vehicle. The delta-wing design is reminiscent of other well-known spaceplanes, such as the US X-37B, suggesting that China is developing similar capabilities in the field of reusable spacecraft. This technology could have important implications for both civil space exploration and potential military applications.

The Long March 2F is a Chinese two-stage carrier rocket renowned for its reliability and power. Explicitly developed for crewed missions, it was used to launch the Shenzhou capsules to China’s Tiangong space station. This rocket, approximately 62 metres high, can carry up to 8,400 kg into low Earth orbit and uses a combination of nitrogen tetroxide and asymmetric dimethylhydrazine as propellant. Its configuration includes four side boosters that provide additional thrust at take-off. The Long March 2F was mainly launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China. Due to its high success rate, it is considered one of China’s most reliable launchers, suitable not only for crewed missions but also for carrying large satellites or space modules on crewless missions.

Advanced technologies

China has once again demonstrated its commitment to the development of advanced space technologies by successfully completing two previous missions with reusable experimental spacecraft. The first mission, which took place in September 2020, lasted two days, while the second, launched in August 2022, lasted an impressive 276 days.

This significant increase in mission duration testifies to the significant progress made by China in the development of this technology. The ability to reuse spacecraft is a crucial step towards cheaper and more efficient access to space, reducing the costs associated with building and launching new rockets for each mission.

China thus joins other countries, such as the United States, that are investing in the development of reusable spacecraft. This demonstrates the strategic importance of this technology for the future of space exploration and space-related commercial activities. Although the specific details of these Chinese missions remain largely confidential, the country is making great strides in developing cutting-edge space technology. This ongoing effort puts China in a leading position in the global race towards a future where access to space will be more frequent and sustainable.