US Intelligence Reveals High-Resolution Image of China’s Secretive Spaceplane
The US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has released a high-resolution satellite image of China’s experimental reusable spaceplane, offering an unusually clear look at one of Beijing’s most secretive space programs.
Published in the DIA’s Challenges to Security in Space 2026 report, the image was captured in orbit on May 28, 2024, by a WorldView-3 satellite operated by Maxar, now known as Vantor, from approximately 90 kilometers away.
The image reveals a compact, shuttle-shaped vehicle with wings, twin vertical tails and an open payload bay. A structure with deployed solar panels appears attached to the rear, potentially indicating a separate spacecraft or service module.
The vehicle bears a strong resemblance to the US Space Force’s X-37B, an uncrewed spaceplane designed to operate in orbit and return to Earth. However, the similarities do not establish that the two vehicles share the same mission or capabilities.
China has launched its experimental reusable spacecraft four times since 2020. Its latest mission began on February 7, 2026, aboard a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
Despite the clearer imagery, the spacecraft’s precise purpose and the nature of its orbital activities remain undisclosed. The DIA report does not officially identify the vehicle in the image as Shenlong, a name widely used by international media.
The release highlights growing competition between Washington and Beijing in space, where reusable spacecraft and satellite operations are becoming increasingly important to military and strategic capabilities.