China’s Mysterious Object in Earth’s Orbit
China’s top-secret spaceplane ejected a mysterious object into Earth’s orbit, catching the attention of the United States Space Force. The object was released nearly 372 miles above the Earth’s surface on May 24.
Tracking the Mysterious Object
The US Space Force is closely monitoring the situation, although the purpose behind ejecting the mysterious object remains unknown. Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell was the first to spot the object and speculated that it could be a subsatellite deployment or a piece of hardware released before the spaceplane’s mission concluded.
- The spacecraft, named Shenlong, was launched in December and has released multiple objects into orbit since then.
- China has maintained secrecy around the spaceplane’s activities, stating its role is to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space.
- China’s state media outlet Xinhuanet mentioned that the experimental spacecraft will conduct reusable technology verification and space science experiments before returning to a designated landing site in China.
US-China Space Dynamics
China’s spaceplane launch coincided with the US scrubbing the flight of its ‘spy’ plane, leading to speculation about the timing of these events. General Chance Saltzman, Space Force’s Chief of Space Operations, noted the synchronicity between the two countries’ activities.
The US Space Force is currently tracking the mysterious object, while amateur astronomer Scott Tilley has been monitoring the spaceplane’s movements and signals. Tilley observed that the signals emitted by the spaceplane likely targeted a location near British Columbia, Canada.
Since its launch in December, the spaceplane has been under surveillance by a group in Switzerland specializing in optical-band space surveillance, in collaboration with Tilley.
