China launched a secret space plane for the third time on Thursday (Dec. 15), while the US Space Force waited for its X-37B to take off after numerous delays. The Chinese “reusable experimental spacecraft” successfully launched atop a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert at around 11 p.m. (local time), according to state news agency Xinhua.
Xinhua did not reveal technical details or images of the spacecraft, as they did for the previous two launches in 2020 and 2022, and they did not specify how long the flight would last.
“It’s going to operate in orbit for some time before returning to its intended landing site in China,” said the report.
“Reusable technology verification and space science experiments will be carried out to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space,” said the report, while using the same wording that was used for the 2020 and 2022 missions.
According to Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who tracks space activities and rocket launches, the US Space Force was tracking the unmanned plane in a roughly circular orbit nearly 300 kilometers above the ground.
“This is very similar to the first launch in 2020. The second launch in 2022 went to a slightly higher orbit of 345 x 593km,” he said, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
The mission, known as USSF-52, will be the seventh US plane to orbit since 2010
Its US counterpart, the Boeing X-37B, which was originally scheduled to launch at the same time, remained grounded atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, following postponements due to launch site issues and bad weather.
The mission, known as USSF-52, will be the seventh US plane to orbit since 2010, as well as the second with a SpaceX rocket.
In a statement issued in November, the Space Force stated that it intends to conduct a variety of tests, including experimenting with future space domain awareness, operating in new orbital regimes, and investigating the effect of radiation on materials.
X-37B is one of the most enigmatic spacecraft ever to fly
The US military has been tight-lipped about the X-37B’s capabilities and objectives, making it one of the most enigmatic spacecraft ever to fly.
General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, stated that the X-37B’s future may be brighter as a result of competition between China and the Pentagon.
Space X canceled the launch of the US military’s X-37B robot spaceplane on Wednesday (Dec 13), writing on X, “We are standing down from tomorrow’s Falcon Heavy launch of the USSF-52 to perform additional system checkouts.”