Chinese stealth drone removes mysterious object from Earth orbit

earlier this month, China’s mysterious spaceplane has returned after orbiting the Earth for more than 270 days. and it may have also lifted an object orbiting the planet, according to a new statement from a Chinese agency. So the information shows that the plane is equipped to collect satellites such as a robotic arm.

In its statement, the Chinese government revealed some interesting information about the spacecraft, but did not reveal any details such as the design, equipment and capabilities. According to the report of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States, China sent an object into orbit in October 2022. It disappeared from object tracking radars in January 2023, but was re-detected in March.

Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell said in an interview with Nature magazine that the Chinese have been working with robotic arms for a while. If so, it’s possible that the main purpose of the mysterious spaceplane was to repair damaged satellites or remove debris from orbit, in addition to the possibility of using it for military purposes.

“The success of the experiment marks a significant breakthrough in China’s research for reusable spacecraft technologies that will provide more convenient and cost-effective round-trip methods for the peaceful use of space in the future,” Chinese state media agency Xinhua early said in a statement. May.

What does the Chinese spaceplane orbiting the Earth look like?

Experts believe that The model of the Chinese plane is similar to the US space plane Boeing X-37B and associated with use in the US armed forces. So there are concerns that the Chinese vehicle is a secret military model.

The vehicle was sent to the launch mission at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on August 5 with the Long March 2F rocket. It is even the second launch of the spaceplane into space; The first trip took place in 2020.

“I think the trend is to release less information rather than more, because even if they’re using it for something like satellite maintenance and repair, that doesn’t mean it can’t be used for more offensive or military activities,” he said. Scientist Kevin Pollpeter of the Center for Naval Analysis told Nature magazine.