Raumfahrt First Clear Look: US Satellite Photographs China's Secret Spaceplane in Orbit

 

First Clear Look: US Satellite Photographs China's Secret Spaceplane in Orbit

Published 29 October 2026

For years, China's reusable spaceplane has been one of the most closely guarded programmes in spaceflight. Now, for the first time, the public has a genuinely clear picture of it in orbit. The image comes from a commercial Earth-imaging satellite and was published in a new US intelligence assessment of space threats. Here is what the photo shows, why it matters, and what remains unknown.

What was released

The US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) included the photograph in its 2026 report on threats in space, published on Monday, 26 October. It appears on page 53, where the caption simply calls it a Chinese "spaceplane" without naming the vehicle. Most outlets and analysts treat it as almost certainly Shenlong ("Divine Dragon"), China's reusable orbital craft.

The picture was taken in 2024 by a satellite built and operated by Maxar, the geospatial intelligence company that is now known as Vantor. Neither the company nor the DIA has shared the full circumstances of the observation.

How do you photograph something in orbit?

Earth-imaging satellites are designed to look down at the ground, so pointing one at another spacecraft is unusual. The technique is called non-Earth imaging, or NEI. It takes careful timing and orbital geometry, because both objects are moving at several kilometres per second. That is why a sharp image like this is so rare, and why earlier glimpses of Shenlong came mostly from ground-based tracking and amateur observers.

What the image shows

The photo shows a vehicle whose shape closely resembles the US Space Force's Boeing-built X-37B, which has led to the obvious comparison between the two programmes. Reporting based on the image also notes that the spaceplane appears to be attached to a service module with solar arrays deployed.

There is one point of disagreement worth flagging. Vantor has said the attached object is a separate satellite, with its own structure and solar arrays visible, rather than part of the spaceplane itself. The exact configuration is still open to interpretation.

A short history of Shenlong

China has flown the uncrewed vehicle four times so far, according to the DIA and press coverage:

• 2020: The first mission lasted about two days before landing at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.
• August 2022: The second mission stayed in orbit for 276 days, far longer than the first. In November 2022 it appeared to manoeuvre with a companion satellite and conduct station-keeping.
• 2023: The third mission reportedly released unidentified objects into orbit, some of which were said to emit signals.
• February 2026: The fourth mission launched from Jiuquan on 6 or 7 February, depending on the time zone used in each report.

China has shared very little about the vehicle's design or purpose throughout, beyond describing it as a reusable experimental spacecraft.

Why the DIA published it

The photo is only one piece of a broader warning. The DIA report argues that China's counterspace capabilities are growing, and it points to several developments beyond the spaceplane:

• Anti-satellite missile tests.
• A satellite-refuelling demonstration in geosynchronous orbit.
• Tests of a robotic arm in orbit.
• A series of TJS satellites that have reportedly made close approaches to other spacecraft.

The report also covers a second Chinese spaceplane concept, Tengyun. Taken together, the message is that China is building the kind of flexible, reusable and manoeuvrable capability that could be used for both civil and military purposes.

What we still don't know

Despite the clearer picture, the big questions remain unanswered.

• Purpose: Is Shenlong a technology demonstrator, a testbed for satellite servicing, a reconnaissance platform, or something else? The same open question applies to the US X-37B.
• Payload: What were the objects released in orbit, and what signals did they send?
• Timing: Exactly when and during which mission the photo was taken has not been officially confirmed, and some commentators have offered different guesses.
• Dual use: Analysts note the technology could serve both civil and military ends, which makes intent hard to judge from imagery alone.

Why it matters

This is a rare case where a commercial satellite company's capability and a government's willingness to publish line up to give the public a real look at a secret programme. It also underlines how quickly space is becoming a contested domain, with reusable vehicles, on-orbit servicing and close-proximity operations all moving from concept to routine practice.

For space watchers, the photo is a reminder that the most interesting spacecraft are often the ones nobody explains. Expect more scrutiny of Shenlong's fourth mission, and more NEI imagery from commercial operators, in the months ahead.

Sources: reporting by SpaceNews, Gizmodo, PopSci, FlightGlobal, IBTimes, Outlook India and others on the DIA space threats report, plus the German-language coverage that prompted this post.