Secret Chinese Space Plane Spotted Over Europe by Amateur Astronomer
An amateur astronomer in Austria has captured images of China's highly secretive space plane, the Shenlong, flying over Europe. These images, taken by Felix Schöfbänker, offer a rare glimpse of the experimental craft and reveal previously unseen features, sparking speculation about its capabilities.
China launched the reusable Shenlong, meaning "Divine Dragon," on its third mission in December 2023 aboard a Long March 2F rocket. Since then, it has been orbiting Earth, completing two previous missions since 2020, the last one lasting over 250 days.
During its current mission, the Shenlong has deployed at least seven satellites into orbit over the past seven months. However, Chinese officials have remained tight-lipped about the space plane's existence and the nature of its deployments. While the US Space Force has confirmed tracking the Shenlong since its launch, no publicly verifiable images of the craft have been released until now.
China designed the Shenlong for multi-year robotic Earth-orbiting missions. It launched from the Gobi Desert and is expected to return and land on runways like conventional aircraft. The 30-foot-long space plane is reportedly capable of multiple missions, with an estimated lifespan of several years.
Schöfbänker, an amateur astronomer in Upper Austria, used a telescope with a 14-inch mirror to follow the Shenlong on 30 July. His footage, compiled from the best frames, reveals what appear to be solar panels powering the craft. However, Schöfbänker acknowledges that these features could be something else entirely, like antennas, as the space plane remains shrouded in secrecy.
"I am not really sure if they are solar panels or some other features like an antenna or something of that nature," Schöfbänker told Space.com.
The latest footage suggests that the Shenlong has lowered its orbit to approximately 350 km above Earth. This further fuels speculation about its mission objectives and the role of the newly observed features.
The US Space Force also operates a Boeing-built space plane, the X-37B, which is smaller than the Shenlong. Both craft are designed for long-duration space missions, but their exact capabilities remain a matter of conjecture.
The images captured by Schöfbänker provide valuable insights into the Shenlong and highlight the enduring fascination with China's burgeoning space programme. As the Shenlong continues its mission, the world watches with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation, hoping to uncover more details about this enigmatic space plane and its potential implications.
