An amateur astronomer managed to observe and photograph China's secret reusable spaceplane, Shenlong, following its fourth orbital mission launched on February 7, 2026.
On February 7, 2026, China launched its reusable robotic spaceplane named Shenlong, or 'Heavenly Dragon', for its fourth orbital mission. The specific purpose of this mission remains unclear, with Chinese officials providing limited information, only stating that it involves technology verification and supports peaceful use of space. This has led to various speculations regarding the mission's true objectives.
The design of Shenlong is notably similar to that of the American X-37B spaceplane, indicating China's ambitions to enhance its long-term space capabilities. This includes experimentation with launch systems, retrieval methods, and autonomous control in orbit. The parallels drawn between the Shenlong and X-37B suggest that China is keenly interested in developing advanced space technologies that could potentially have both civil and military applications.
Meanwhile, amateur astronomer Felix Schaufler made an intriguing discovery by observing the spacecraft as it passed over his observatory in Austria. He noticed a bright flash, which he referred to as a 'flare', believed to be sunlight reflecting off a folded solar panel from the spacecraft's cargo bay. This observation reminiscent of similar occurrences with the X-37B further exemplifies the keen interest in monitoring emerging space technology and the capabilities of different nations in the domain of space exploration.
