4 Sep 2020: China launched some kind of reusable spacecraft into space — possibly a spaceplane — a mysterious vehicle that is drawing comparisons to the US’s classified X-37B.
– Long March 2F launch vehicle delivered the spacecraft into orbit following launch at an unspecified time.
– Based on observations from independent observers, the vehicle reached an altitude of about 350 kilometers. It was initially launched at an orbital inclination of about 45 degrees, but then performed a “dogleg maneuver” to change its inclination to 50 degrees shortly after launching.
– Chinese state media (Xinhua News Agency) says the country safely landed a reusable spacecraft on September 6th after spending two days in orbit.
– On December 11, 2007, the Chinese media published an image of a winged spacecraft mounted on a wing of an H-6K bomber. This was the first public acknowledgment that China was developing a reusable winged space system very similar to the X-37.
– China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC) is believed to be the lead developer.
– The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC), another giant state-owned enterprise, is working on its own spaceplane, named Tengyun.
After an inaugural flight around 2020, several flights will be conducted to verify rapid re-launch and repeated use capabilities. The stated aim of the project is to reduce the cost of access to space…some vehicles would have the characteristics of both aircraft and spacecraft.
— 2017 statement from Chen Hongbo, from CASC’s China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
Artist Rendition.
