China's experimental reusable spacecraft has recently made a maneuver to raise its orbit, but apparently has not yet released the object, as in previous flights.
On December 14, the Long March-2F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert and began the third flight of the Chinese space shuttle. Although little is known about the project, it is widely believed that the spacecraft is similar to the X-37B of the US Air Force.
The spacecraft went into orbit with an initial altitude of 333 x 348 km and an inclination of 50 degrees. U.S. Space Force Space Domain Perception data shows that the spacecraft performed a burn around January 20, raising its apogee (the farthest point from Earth) to 597 kilometers.
A week later, the orbit was rounded to 602 609 km. This activity mirrors the spacecraft's second mission, which rose from a similar initial orbit to a near-circular 597 x 608-kilometer orbit after nearly three months of spaceflight.
Aside from a brief official text released on the day of the launch, China did not provide any details of the spacecraft or update the mission.
The spacecraft is seen as an attempt by China to develop capabilities similar to those of the X-37B.
Based on the small amount of information we have, I think the Shenlong (Chinese Space Shuttle) and X-37B may be on many of the same missions," Brian Weeden, director of program planning at Safe World, said last December. "That is, it is mainly used to try and test new technologies, sensors, and perhaps even operational practices.
Contrary to previous reports, there is currently no evidence that the shuttle released the object into orbit. Early experimental reusable spacecraft mission activity has shown that recent exercises may deploy subsatellites into orbit.
The first two missions released subsatellites that transmitted signals briefly. The second flight released its sub-satellite after reaching a higher orbit.
There are ** reports that the Chinese space shuttle has put six satellites into orbit. These reports are based on amateur spacecraft*** indicating that one of the objects other than the shuttle is transmitting a signal.
Six objects associated with the launch were cataloged in orbit. The other five objects are the upper stage of the LM-2F, and possibly four other pieces of debris typically associated with the launch of the LM-2F.
One of the spacecraft later provided updated information suggesting that a minor timing issue had caused *** to mistake a signal sent by a group of Chinese remote sensing reconnaissance satellites for a piece of debris associated with the Space Shuttle.
According to tracking data from the U.S. Space Force, three of the four pieces of debris re-entered the atmosphere in early January. The last piece is expected to re-enter and burn in the coming days. The upper phase is expected to re-enter in March, with a great deal of uncertainty.
The shuttle had been in orbit for 48 days at the time of its third mission. Its first mission, which lasted only two days, landed at Lop Nur airbase. The second mission, apparently to demonstrate reusability, was in orbit for 276 days and landed on May 8, 2023.
The spacecraft will have an interval of one year and 11 months between its first and second missions, which were launched in 2020 and 2022, respectively. The third mission lasted seven months.
China has not yet disclosed the details of its experimental reusable spacecraft project. No images of the launch have been released. The spacecraft was launched vertically on the Long March-2F, a rocket used to launch China's Shenzhou manned mission.
The launcher has a payload capacity of a little more than eight tons in near-earth orbit. This suggests that the spacecraft may be somewhat similar in size and function to the U.S. Air Force's X-37B spaceplane.
This view is reinforced by visible images of the wreckage of the payload fairing found in the second launch and posted on Sina Weibo social media. The images provide possible clues about the size and shape of the spacecraft.
A reusable spacecraft may be an orbital section operating in conjunction with the reusable suborbital first stage. The reusable suborbital spacecraft was tested for the first time in 2021. The second mission was launched in August 2022. Suborbital spacecraft employ vertical take-off and horizontal landing.
The spacecraft's developer, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), announced plans to develop a fully reusable two-stage in-orbit (TSTO) space transportation system before the first launch. The space shuttle project of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation was funded by the National Natural Science Commission of China in 2022.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Space Force X-37B spaceplane was launched on December 28 for its seventh mission. Observers of space activities say this is the first flight aboard the Falcon Heavy spaceplane, which is placed in a highly elliptical, high-inclination orbit and beyond. Higher than the height of the previous mission. The mysterious and autonomous X-37B reusable aircraft began flying in 2010.
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