Indeed, the advancement is remarkable. However, the United States appears increasingly unsettled—not because of China’s reusable spacecraft capability to deploy and retrieve satellites in orbit. On October 30, following the release by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency of a high-resolution image of a Chinese space vehicle in orbit, global attention intensified. The Straits Times reported that China has two spaceplanes—“Shenlong” and “Tengyun.” At the time, China’s spaceplane Shenlong was conducting its third orbital mission.
The image shows the vehicle’s payload bay door open, with a separate spacecraft docked at its rear, and solar arrays fully deployed. According to technical analysts, if accurate, these details suggest that China’s reusable spacecraft now possesses three distinct capabilities. First, reusability itself implies that the spacecraft can rapidly deploy small satellites and deliver cargo to space stations. Second, rear docking and in-orbit deployment indicate potential for retrieving malfunctioning satellites or recovering experimental materials from space.
Third, close-proximity rendezvous and possible grappling technology could enable on-orbit refueling of satellites or replacement of components. In fact, China has conducted several test missions involving such reusable systems; from a commercial perspective, these developments are noteworthy. Yet, given that the disclosure originated from U.S. intelligence sources, it is clear that American scrutiny extends beyond civilian applications to potential military uses.
Experts have noted that, from a technical standpoint, the vehicle could theoretically capture malfunctioning own satellites for repair and return—raising the possibility of capturing and relocating foreign satellites as well. Since the system can service its own satellites, it also holds the potential to disable adversary satellites. Given the irreplaceable role of satellites in intelligence gathering and battlefield situational awareness, control over an opponent’s space assets—through restriction, interference, or removal—would confer decisive strategic advantage in modern warfare. This, arguably, lies at the heart of U.S. concern. That said, China has consistently opposed the weaponization of space, and initiating a space arms race is not its objective.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880459821982731/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.