A top-secret Chinese spaceplane ejected a mysterious object into Earth’s orbit at an altitude of nearly 372 miles. The US Space Force is closely monitoring the situation, though the purpose behind the object’s release on May 24 remains unclear.
Initial discovery and speculation
The object was first detected by Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. McDowell suggested the object could be a subsatellite deployment or a piece of hardware released before the spaceplane deorbited. He noted on social media, “This object could be a subsatellite deployment, or it could be a piece of hardware ejected prior to the end of the mission and deorbit (the spaceplane’s first flight did something similar).”
Details of the Shenlong Spaceplane
Launched in December and named Shenlong after a mythical Chinese dragon, the spaceplane has previously released multiple objects into orbit. Chinese state media described its mission as providing “technical support for the peaceful use of space.” The spacecraft is expected to return to a designated landing site in China after completing its reusable technology verification and space science experiments.
The launch of the Shenlong spaceplane came just a day after the US postponed its spaceplane flight, a timing seen as significant by US Space Force Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman. “It’s probably no coincidence that they’re trying to match us in timing and sequence of this,” Saltzman remarked.
Ongoing US tracking efforts
The US Space Force continues to track the mysterious object, while amateur astronomer Scott Tilley, who monitored the spaceplane’s activities since its launch, observed signals likely aimed at a ground station or boat near British Columbia. Tilley, collaborating with a Swiss group specializing in optical-band space surveillance, has been able to track the plane and its emitted signals, noting, “When the spaceplane passes over me, it only emits on a certain trajectory of pass that appears to favor a location south to southwest of me.”
As the US intensifies its monitoring, the mysterious object ejected by China’s spaceplane adds another layer of intrigue and tension to the already complex domain of space operations.