Foreign Media: U.S. Confirms Existence of China’s Spaceplane

According to a report by War Zone (TWZ) on October 28, 2026, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has confirmed that a widely circulated image online indeed captures China’s experimental reusable spaceplane in orbit. In a newly declassified report released yesterday on global security challenges beyond Earth’s atmosphere, the DIA publicly disclosed a high-resolution version of the image, further corroborating that the vehicle’s design closely resembles the X-37B micro-spaceplane currently operated by the U.S. Space Force.

The high-resolution image referenced in the DIA report was captured by a satellite from Maxar Technologies (formerly known as Vantor), though the exact date of acquisition remains unspecified. The image is credited with a copyright year of 2024.

The depicted vehicle exhibits the form of a miniature spaceplane, featuring small wings and twin vertical tails, with an upward-opening hatch located above its central payload bay. Solar panels are deployed along both sides of the rear fuselage extension. Two compartments appear to be arranged in parallel beneath the vehicle’s belly—likely the main landing gear bays for a tricycle-type undercarriage. Overall, its core design bears striking similarity to the U.S. X-37B, which also employs a tricycle landing gear configuration and can accommodate an extended payload module at the tail. The primary distinction lies in the significantly greater wing chord length of the Chinese vehicle compared to the X-37B.

The caption accompanying the image in the DIA report states: “A key capability of reusable space operations is vehicles such as this Chinese spaceplane captured by Maxar. Such vehicles can be launched into orbit, deploy or test space objects, and then return to Earth.”

It should be noted that the existence of the image itself is not new. In 2024, Colonel John Patrick, former commander of the U.S. Space Force’s Korea-based unit (SPACEFOR-KOR), presented a low-resolution version of the same image during a speech at the “Open Space Forum” held in South Korea. At the time, observers could not definitively determine whether the image depicted an X-37B or another platform. TWZ contacted both the U.S. Space Force and Maxar for verification at the time; neither entity provided comment. Two X-37B vehicles have been built by the United States, having completed eight orbital missions since 2010. The eighth orbital test mission (OTV-8) was launched on August 22, 2025.

Since 2020, China has conducted four independent orbital flights using the same experimental spaceplane. Three of these missions concluded prior to Colonel Patrick’s presentation. The most recent launch occurred on February 7 of this year, and, to date, there is no public confirmation that the vehicle has returned.

During the third mission, which spanned from December 14, 2023, to September 6, 2024, observers detected multiple small objects being released into orbit by the Chinese spaceplane. The specific purpose of these payloads remains unclear, but they were likely deployed from the main payload bay, visible in orbital imagery with the hatch open. The bay may have also been opened during the first two missions without any object release.

Notably, during this latest mission earlier this year, the spaceplane appears to have released at least one additional object.

A highly secretive air base in northwestern China features a runway measuring 16,400 feet (approximately 5,000 meters), believed to serve as the landing site for spaceplane missions following orbital operations. The facility has undergone extensive expansion in recent years and now functions broadly akin to the U.S. Area 51, serving as a site for multiple advanced aerospace testing programs.

The DIA report also notes that China operates two major spaceplane programs: Shenlong and Tengyun—but does not specify which model is featured in the image. For years, “Shenlong” has been used to refer to the experimental spaceplane currently under development. Photographs purportedly showing a prototype or test vehicle suspended beneath a H-6 bomber appeared as early as 2007.

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), a state-owned enterprise, unveiled the “Tengyun” program in 2016. This concept describes a two-stage-to-orbit system that utilizes an atmospheric aircraft as a mothership for launch, rather than relying on traditional rocket boosters. By 2020, CASIC had stated its goal of conducting actual tests of Tengyun by 2025, though it remains unclear whether this milestone has been achieved.

In recent years, other spaceplane initiatives in China have progressed, including projects led by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation (AVIC subsidiary). The “Haolong” spacecraft designed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group has officially entered the project pipeline as one of several potential supply options for China’s Tiangong space station.

The DIA report concludes: “Overall, spaceplanes… offer reusability and enhanced maneuverability, making them better suited than traditional satellites for certain specific missions.”

Previously, TWZ analyzed in detail that reusable spaceplane-like vehicles represent an ideal platform for rapidly deploying small satellites and other payloads. These systems can conduct both scientific experiments and operational missions—including intelligence gathering and in-orbit kinetic operations—all areas of clear interest to the Chinese government.

As frequently noted in discussions about the X-37B, spaceplanes possess unique advantages in proximity operations and close-range maneuvers relative to other space assets. They can perform orbital adjustments and other maneuvers in ways that conventional satellites cannot. These capabilities further underscore their potential as both weapon systems and intelligence collection platforms. Meanwhile, the fact that Maxar (now Vantor) satellites have captured images of China’s spaceplane in orbit—a known commercial service offered by the company—reinforces the increasingly competitive nature of the ongoing “cat-and-mouse game” in space.

Disclaimer: All equipment data and imagery referenced herein originate from reports published by War Zone.

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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880244809224204/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.