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● LIVE Updated 55m ago · 14 sources tracked

China Has 2 Military Spaceplanes, the X-37B-Like Shenlong and the Air-Launched Tengyun, and Is Building a Third, the Haolong, While the Shenlong Has Sat in Orbit Since February 7

China has two military spaceplanes, Shenlong and Tengyun, and is building a third, Haolong. Shenlong, resembling the US X-37B, has been in orbit since February 7. The US military has released images of Shenlong, showcasing its capabilities and raising concerns about China's growing military space presence.

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  • ✓ China has two military spaceplanes, Shenlong and Tengyun.
  • ✓ China is building a third spaceplane, Haolong.
  • ✓ Shenlong has been in orbit since February 7.
  • ✓ The Shenlong spaceplane resembles the US X-37B.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 14 independent reporting domains (85% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

The US military released a clear image of China's Shenlong spaceplane, revealing its open payload bay and a docked satellite, providing new insights into its capabilities.

Live updates

  1. China's Shenlong Spaceplane Remains in Orbit Since February 7

    China has two military spaceplanes, Shenlong and Tengyun, and is building a third, Haolong. Shenlong, resembling the US X-37B, has been in orbit since February 7. The US military has released images of Shenlong, showcasing its capabilities and raising concerns about China's growing military space presence.

    Why it matters

    China's spaceplane program has garnered significant attention due to its potential military applications and resemblance to the US X-37B. The US has expressed concerns about China's expanding space capabilities, including the development of directed energy weapons. The Shenlong spaceplane's prolonged orbit has sparked interest and speculation about its mission objectives.

    What is confirmed

    • China has two military spaceplanes, Shenlong and Tengyun.
    • China is building a third spaceplane, Haolong.
    • Shenlong has been in orbit since February 7.
    • The Shenlong spaceplane resembles the US X-37B.
    • The US military has released images of Shenlong, showing its open payload bay and a docked satellite.

    Still unconfirmed

    • China may soon place directed energy weapons in space.

    What to watch next

    • Further images or updates on Shenlong's mission objectives
    • China's development and deployment of the Haolong spaceplane
    • US response to China's growing military space capabilities
    Sources used for this update (14)
    1. Ars Technica — China's top-secret spaceplane can't hide in low-Earth orbit
    2. Space — China's secretive space plane caught on camera in incredible new photo released by US military
    3. 19FortyFive — China Has 2 Military Spaceplanes, the X-37B-Like Shenlong and the Air-Launched Tengyun, and Is Building a Third, the Haolong, While the Shenlong Has Sat in Orbit Since February 7
    4. Axios — China's spacecraft photographed in new intel report
    5. South China Morning Post — US warns China is expanding its space toolkit with spaceplane and energy weapons
    6. www.aerotime.aero — US releases rare image of China’s secretive spaceplane
    7. arstechnica.com — China’s top-secret spaceplane can’t hide in low-Earth orbit
    8. www.chosun.com — U.S. Confirms Chinese Spaceplane in Orbit - 조선일보
    9. www.19fortyfive.com — China Has 2 Military Spaceplanes, the X-37B-Like Shenlong and ...
    10. www.europesays.com — China Has 2 Military Spaceplanes, the X-37B-Like Shenlong and ...
    11. www.yahoo.com — US intel confirms China’s mysterious X-37B-like spaceplane ...
    12. aerospaceglobalnews.com — Pentagon reveals rare photo of China's secretive spaceplane
    confidence 85%
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