China has its own top-secret space plane and in the last few hours it has managed to return it safely to Earth. The ship has completed a 276-day journey in orbit, although it is still unknown what it has been used for and what plans the Asian authorities have for its future.
Both the state news agency xinhua such as the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), they have confirmed the successful return of the space plane. Details of the experimental vehicle’s extensive mission are being held in strict confidence.
The only thing that has been reported is that the autonomous craft landed at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. For now, no images of the space plane have been revealedand, considering the secrecy surrounding the project, they are unlikely to be released anytime soon.
It has been mentioned that the authorities of the Asian giant consider that this experiment of almost 300 days in orbit is a great advance for their research related to special reusable technologies. They will “provide more convenient and affordable round-trip methods for the peaceful use of space in the future,” Xinhua reported.
China’s top-secret space plane has returned to Earth
China’s Top Secret Space Plane took off from the Gobi desert on August 4, aboard a Long March 2F rocket. The vehicle entered an initial orbit of 346 by 593 kilometers, with an inclination of 50 degrees, and later circled it at 597 by 608 kilometers, he explained. spacenews.
Of course, the United States has not missed the opportunity to closely monitor Chinese activities in space. At the beginning of last November, it was learned that the North American Space Force had detected that the experimental ship had released an object in orbit. Although it was not known specifically what it was, it was speculated that it could be a small satellite or service module.
This is only the second mission for China’s top-secret space plane. The previous one took place in September 2020 and had the vehicle just four days in Earth orbit. At that time, little or nothing was known about the flight.
The truth is that everything indicates that the authorities of the Asian giant They are more than satisfied with the progress of this development. In fact, in 2022 the project received an increase in its funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
Its resemblance to the American Boeing X-37B
China’s reusable autonomous space plane is reminiscent of the American Boeing X-37B. We are also talking about a plane with secret characteristics, similar to a miniature space shuttle. A project that has already fueled rumors of its possible use for espionage missions or even to load weapons of mass destruction.
The United States has denied such uses, although the nature of its missions is kept under 7 keys. In its most recent expedition, which lasted 908 days in orbit, it was only mentioned that different scientific experiments were carried out. Some of them commissioned by NASA and others by the Naval Research Laboratory.
Considering that developments of this type consume a lot of time and money, and that they seek a technological advantage against rival nations, it is logical that they try to preserve their results under absolute confidentiality. It remains to be seen if, at the very least, any images of China’s space plane are released soon.
From CNSA Watcheron Twitter, have released a render of low quality that supposedly would correspond to the experimental ship in question. In that case, would bear a “surprising” aesthetic similarity to the X-37B of the US Space Force.