US intelligence report offers first clear glimpse at top-secret Chinese spaceplane accused of releasing mysterious objects above Earth

A US intelligence report has offered the first clear glimpse at China's top–secret spaceplane.The robotic Shenlong, or 'divine dragon' spacecraft has previously been seen releasing mysterious objects in Low–Earth Orbit (LEO).Since its first mission in 2020, the mysterious plane has been the subject of intense observation by governments, space agencies and private companies.However, until now, no one has seen more than a blurry photo of the light reflecting off its panels.This first high–resolution image was released in the Defence Intelligence Agency's (DIA) latest Challenges to Security in Space report.Buried in the 130–page document was a previously unseen image of the plane captured by Maxar Technologies, now Vantor, in 2024.The report simply captions the image as a 'PRC [People's Republic of China] Spaceplane', adding that 'spaceplanes can launch into orbit to place objects in space or even test them and return to Earth'.Oddly, neither the report nor caption mentioned that this was the first image of its kind or that it was previously classified, raising questions about why this image has now been revealed. A US intelligence report has offered the first clear glimpse of China's top–secret Shelong, or 'divine dragon, spaceplane (pictured) The image was captured by the intelligence company Vantor in 2024. It shows that the craft's payload doors are open and that it is docked with a secondary satellite Much like the American space shuttle, the Shenlong spaceplane is launched from Earth aboard a rocket, before entering orbit and landing like plane. However, China has remained exceptionally secretive about its experimental spaceplane and has not even released an official photo of the spacecraft.This means this image is the first time the public has had a good chance to examine Shenlong and learn more about its potential capabilities.Vantor, in an update on X, said: 'The report documents China’s expanding presence in space, including reusable space systems, and features Vantor’s WorldView Space imagery of a Chinese spaceplane in orbit in 2024.'The company's annotated version of the photo describes the craft as PRC Test Spacecraft 3 and notes that it is 26ft long (8m).The image also highlights that the payload bay doors are visible as partly open and that there is a secondary satellite docked on the rear.This 32ft–wide (10m) satellite is likely to be a 'service module', a type of satellite that connects with spacecraft to provide them with additional power, propulsion or support systems.Importantly, this photo also reveals what many experts had already anticipated: Shenlong is nearly identical to the US Space Force's own robotic spaceplane.Originally developed as a NASA research project before being taken over by the Department of Defence, the US X–37 spaceplane is a remarkably similar reusable craft. Previously, the best images of the mysterious plane have been blurry reflections from its panel. However, radar tracking has shown the plane releasing several mysterious objects in orbit What do we know about China's Shenlong spaceplane? First launched: 2020Number of orbital missions: 3 Total days in space: 546Length: 26ft (8m)Weight: UnknownPayload capacity: Unknown Known capabilities: Docking with satellites, releasing payloads, and potentially collecting satellites. Since 2010, X–37B has flown seven missions and spent more than 2,000 days in space conducting secret missions.Officially, X–37B is an 'experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, uncrewed space test platform for the U.S. Air Force,' but its specific purposes are unknown.However, what is now abundantly clear is the remarkable similarity between the older American spaceplane and its new Chinese counterpart.Professor Jonathan McDowell, a satellite tracking expert from Durham University Space Research Centre, told the Daily Mail: 'The Chinese spaceplane is very similar to the X–37B, with a payload bay in the middle and a jettisonable service module with solar arrays at the back.'The wings are slightly different, but the overall layout, down to the tilted rear fins, says to me that some important official in China went to the space folks with a picture of the X–37B and said, "build me one of these".'However, despite these new images, many of the details concerning Shenlong and its functions remain unclear.As the report notes, China has two named spaceplanes, Shenlong and Tengyun, meaning 'cloud rider', and it isn't necessarily clear which this image shows.Likewise, the DIA simply noted that China has launched three spaceplane missions, one in 2020, the second in 2022, and a third beginning in 2023. Experts say that the Shenlong spaceplane is extremely similar in design to the US Space Force's own robotic spaceplane, the X–38B (pictured) US–based space tracking firm Leo Labs previously spotted 'an unknown object in the vicinity of the Chinese Shenlong reusable spaceplane', suggesting that it may be releasing small satellites in Low Earth Orbit We do not yet know whether these were all conducted by the same plane or whether China has multiple operational spaceplanes in orbit.Most importantly, the DIA has not yet publicly speculated on what Shenlong has been doing in LEO over these years.Previous radar tracking has captured Shenlong releasing nine unidentified payloads around Earth.It is believed that these are small, simple satellites called cubesats, but their function remains unclear.In 2026, Professor McDowell also observed that Shenlong appeared to release a satellite into orbit before returning to retrieve it several months later.The new report also notes that, during its second mission in November 2022, the spaceplane came within 330ft (100m) of a smaller spacecraft, potentially capturing and re–releasing it.'I suspect the vehicle also has a robot arm for deploying and retrieving satellites, but that is not visible on the photo,' Professor McDowell explains.However, despite the alarm this incident caused, Professor McDowell believes the spaceplanes' function is simply to 'show they [China] can do a robotic mini shuttle'. Experts suggest that the Shenlong spaceplane is designed to demostrate China's capability to launch a robotic shuttle and to test technology in orbit. Pictured: An artistic render of the spaceplaneHe adds that it would be 'good for testing new equipment in orbit and then returning it to Earth intact for refurbishment and reuse'.These findings come as the US warns of a rapid growth in capabilities within China's millitary and civillian space program. The DIA now warns that China's 'rapidly expandingspace program' is second only to America's own in size and ability.Since 2016, the numebr of space launches taking place each year have more than trippled from 22 to 93, and Beijing has started depoloying nine times more satellites per year.