U.S. Intel Releases Clearest Image of China's Reusable Spaceplane

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has released a high-resolution satellite image of China's experimental reusable spaceplane, captured by Maxar Technologies in 2024. The photograph, included in the DIA's unclassified "Challenges to Security in Space" report published on October 26, 2026, provides the clearest public view of the vehicle in orbit to date. The image shows the spaceplane with its service module attached and solar arrays deployed, revealing design features including delta wings, payload bay doors, a dark heat shield, and a tricycle landing gear configuration.

The Chinese spaceplane's design closely resembles the U.S. Space Force's X-37B, an uncrewed reusable orbital vehicle. Both craft feature miniature space shuttle-like designs with central payload bays and rear-mounted service modules that separate before reentry. However, the Chinese vehicle's wings have a longer chord than the X-37B. The DIA report identifies two Chinese spaceplane models—Shenlong and Tengyun—but does not specify which appears in the image, though Shenlong is the commonly referenced designation for the operational vehicle.

China has conducted four orbital spaceplane missions since September 2020, all launched aboard Long March 2F rockets from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The first mission lasted two days; the second (August 2022) remained in orbit for 276 days; the third (December 2023) lasted 268 days; and the fourth launched on February 7, 2026, and remains in orbit. Tracking data indicate the spaceplane has deployed objects and performed rendezvous and proximity operations during missions, though the vehicle's intended military role and specific payload functions remain largely undisclosed.

The image's release marks a shift in public transparency regarding China's space capabilities. A lower-resolution version was shown by U.S. Space Force officials at a conference in South Korea in 2024, but the full-resolution photograph was not made public until the DIA report release. The DIA assessment characterizes the spaceplane as a key capability for China's reusable space activities, enabling it to place objects in space, test them, and return to Earth. The report provides no new operational details, and Chinese authorities have disclosed minimal information about the program's objectives or technical specifications.