A New Era of Space Surveillance
In 2024, a US commercial satellite made headlines when it captured images of a Chinese spacecraft in orbit, which bears a striking resemblance to the American X-37B spaceplane. This significant photograph has finally come to light, showcasing the Chinese spacecraft’s delta wings, cargo bay doors, a dark thermal shield, and a rear service module adorned with solar panels. The design elements indicate that this vehicle closely mirrors the X-37B utilised by the United States Space Force.
The photograph was obtained by a commercial imaging satellite operated by Vantor, under the brand name Maxar. Vantor is one of several companies providing reconnaissance imagery to various US military and intelligence agencies worldwide. Interestingly, these imaging satellites possess the capability to focus their telescopes on objects in outer space as well.
Prior to the Defence Intelligence Agency’s (DIA) assessment, lower-resolution images of the Chinese spacecraft had already circulated, revealing its general shape. A representative from the US Space Force disclosed Maxar’s observation during a conference held in South Korea in 2024. However, it wasn’t until a recent unclassified DIA report that the high-resolution image was made publicly available, shedding light on the potential threats posed by space activities.
The Unveiling of China’s Spacecraft
The DIA report does not provide extensive insights into the operational capabilities of the Chinese spaceplane. Since 2020, China has launched four space missions, with durations reaching up to nine months. The most recent mission is currently in orbit following its February launch. It remains unclear whether China possesses one or multiple spacecraft of this kind within its arsenal.
In contrast, the US Space Force maintains two X-37B vehicles, with the longest flight lasting two and a half years from launch to landing. Details about the X-37B’s design, dimensions, and some of the experiments conducted in orbit have been disclosed, although the majority of its missions remain classified.
Similar to the X-37B, the Chinese spaceplane is launched within the payload segment of a conventional rocket and operates as a satellite once in orbit. It functions as a miniature, unmanned version of NASA’s space shuttle and autonomously re-enters the atmosphere at the end of its mission, landing on a runway. Ground teams then refurbish it for subsequent flights.
The DIA’s report highlights that the “greater manoeuvrability” of spaceplanes makes them “more suitable for certain missions than traditional satellites.” Thus far, the Chinese spacecraft has only operated in low Earth orbit (LEO), typically at altitudes of several hundred kilometres. In contrast, one of the X-37B missions reached an altitude exceeding 24,000 miles (over 38,000 kilometres) before employing aerodynamic braking for re-entry.
Capabilities and Potential Threats
Space vehicles like the Chinese craft and the X-37B can launch small satellites from their cargo bays. Recently, China exhibited its ability to capture an object in orbit, likely using a robotic arm. The current spacecraft in orbit released a subsatellite in June and successfully retrieved it in July, repeating the operation in August and September, as per orbital tracking data analysis by astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who specialises in cataloguing space activities.
The official name of the Chinese spaceplane remains somewhat of a mystery. In Western publications, it is often referred to as “Shenlong,” a term originating from reports in the 2000s regarding China’s development of a robotic spaceplane. Chinese state media, however, refers to it as “Chongfu Shiyong Shiyan Hangtian Qi,” or CSSHQ, which translates to “reusable experimental spacecraft,” according to a fact sheet published by the Secure World Foundation.
While the DIA did not disclose the specifics surrounding Maxar’s observation of the Chinese spacecraft, such as timing, location, or distance, Earth observations typically utilise cameras to view other objects in space when their orbits intersect. This emerging field, known as Non-Earth Imaging (NEI), allows commercial operators and government analysts to scrutinise satellites, proving particularly useful in gathering intelligence on classified or proprietary satellite designs.
Emerging Space Technologies and Military Implications
The DIA report also addresses China’s advancements in anti-satellite technology, commonly referred to as “counter-space” weapons. The agency indicated that the Chinese military likely views directed energy weapons (DEW) as “ideal counter-space systems,” capable of incapacitating satellites either temporarily or permanently. A potential application for lasers in space could involve dazzling an adversary’s satellite sensor.
“China possesses multiple ground-based laser systems with varying power levels to disrupt, degrade, or damage satellites in low Earth orbit,” noted the DIA. “By the end of the 2020s, China could deploy space-based directed energy systems and higher-powered ground-based systems capable of threatening satellites at higher altitudes.”
The report underscored China’s testing of ground-based anti-satellite missiles and the historic demonstration last year of refuelling satellites in geostationary orbit, approximately 36,000 kilometres (22,000 miles) above the equator—a feat that no other nation has achieved beyond low Earth orbit. Moreover, China has tested a robotic arm capable of intercepting an out-of-orbit spacecraft and currently operates a growing fleet of satellites known as TJS, which routinely approach foreign spacecraft.
In response, the US Space Force has developed a constellation of inspection satellites in geostationary orbit and has recently acquired additional satellites that can be refuelled, thus overcoming manoeuvrability limitations. Last month, the Secretary of the Air Force, Troy Meink, revealed that the Pentagon has deployed weapons in space, marking the United States as the first nation to acknowledge the existence of orbital weaponry.
Intelligence officials have indicated that Russia is also advancing its orbital combat programme, including aspirations to deploy nuclear weapons in space. Additionally, a more conventional Russian weapon system, known as Nivelir, is designed to fire projectiles from a satellite at another. In 2020, Russian forces simulated an attack using the Nivelir system. Recently, Russia launched a fleet of small satellites into an orbit close to a commercial radar imaging satellite owned by ICEYE, which provides reconnaissance imagery to Ukraine. According to US officials, one of the Russian satellites approached within metres of the ICEYE satellite earlier this month before moving away.