China’s secret spaceplane ejects mystery object into orbit, US on the hunt

A mysterious object was released into Earth’s orbit by China’s top-secret spaceplane at an altitude of nearly 372 miles. The US Space Force is closely monitoring the situation, though the purpose of the object’s release on May 24 remains unclear.

The object was first noticed by Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who speculated it could be either a subsatellite deployment or a piece of hardware jettisoned by the spaceplane before it ended its mission and deorbited. McDowell, from the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, posted on X, “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).”

The spacecraft, named Shenlong after a mythological Chinese dragon, was launched last December and has since released several objects into orbit. This activity has sent strong signals to the United States.

China has maintained secrecy regarding the spaceplane, describing its mission as providing “technical support for the peaceful use of space.” China’s state media outlet Xinhuanet stated, “After operating in orbit for a period of time, the experimental spacecraft will return to the designated landing site in China. During this period, it will carry out reusable technology verification and space science experiments as planned, providing technical support for the peaceful use of space.”

The launch of the Chinese spaceplane came just one day after the United States canceled the flight of its ‘spy’ plane, a timing that the US Space Force chief suggested was deliberate. General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations for the Space Force, commented, “It’s probably no coincidence that they’re trying to match us in timing and sequence of this.”

Currently, the US Space Force is tracking the mysterious object. Amateur astronomer Scott Tilley, who has been following the spaceplane’s activities since it launched in December, noted that the spaceplane emitted signals over North America, likely targeting a ground station or vessel near British Columbia, Canada. Tilley explained, “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. On higher elevation passes over me, there are no signals, but on ocean-hugging passes to my southwest, all of my observations of the object have occurred.”

Tilley has collaborated with a Swiss group specializing in optical-band space surveillance, allowing them to monitor the spaceplane since its launch on December 15.