China's super-secret space plane visible in clearest photo yet

A newly released U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency image offers the clearest public view so far of China’s secretive reusable space plane, likely called Shenlong. Maxar Technologies took the underside photograph in 2024, during what was probably the vehicle’s third orbital test. It appears in the DIA’s unclassified assessment of space security, which discusses challenges facing the United States and its allies, including orbital debris and the space ambitions of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The image reveals a distinctive arrangement of solar panels that deploy from the rear of the craft rather than sitting on top.

China has disclosed little about Shenlong since revealing the program nearly two decades ago. A prototype flew for two days in 2020, then spent 276 days in orbit in 2022; its third known mission lasted 268 days after launching in December 2023. The DIA says the vehicle released and interacted with an object, but provides no further detail. Shenlong reportedly launched again in February 2026, joining the U.S. Space Force’s similarly classified X-37B in orbit. Publicly reported specifications for Shenlong include a length of more than 29 feet, a wingspan of nearly 15 feet, and orbital speed of about 17,426 miles per hour. Its capabilities remain unknown, underscoring how little can be inferred from the image alone.