HELSINKI — China’s experimental reusable spacecraft recently performed maneuvers to raise its orbit but is apparently yet to release objects as it did during previous flights.
A Long March 2F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert Dec. 14, beginning the third flight of what is considered to be a Chinese spaceplane. Though little is known about the project, it is widely thought the spacecraft is analogous to the U.S. Air Force’s X-37B.
The spacecraft entered an initial 333 by 348-kilometer-altitude orbit inclined by 50 degrees. U.S. Space Force space domain awareness data shows the spacecraft made a burn around Jan. 20 to raise its apogee, or farthest point from Earth, to 597 km.
A week later, the orbit was circularized into a 602 by 609-km orbit. This activity mirrors the spacecraft’s second mission, which raised itself from a similar initial orbit into a near-circular 597 by 608-km orbit after nearly three months in space.
China has not provided any details of the spacecraft nor updated on the mission, beyond the terse state media text published on the day of launch.
The spacecraft is seen as China’s attempt to develop similar capabilities to the X-37B.
“Based on what little information we have, I think the Shenlong [Chinese spaceplane] and the X-37B are likely doing many of the same missions,” Brian Weeden, Director of Program Planning at the Secure World Foundation, told SpaceNews in December. “That is, primarily being used for experimenting and testing new technologies, sensors, and perhaps even operational practices.
No satellites deployed — yet
Contrary to previous reports, there is no evidence as yet of the spaceplane releasing objects into orbit. Deployment of a subsatellite into orbit could follow the recent maneuvers, earlier experimental reusable spacecraft mission activities suggest.
The previous two missions saw the release of subsatellites that briefly…
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