US releases Maxar 2024 image of China's secret reusable spaceplane
The US just dropped a new satellite image of China's secret reusable spaceplane, giving us a peek at Beijing's latest move in the growing space race.
Snapped by Maxar in 2024 and reviewed by the US Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the photo shows a spacecraft resembling a miniature space shuttle, with a blunt nose, swept wings and dark thermal-protection tiles covering its body, suggesting the image was captured while the vehicle was operating in orbit.
China's spaceplane could be dual use
China is not saying much about what its spaceplane can actually do, but it could be used for both science and military missions, kind of like America's own X-37B.
The DIA points out that China's expanding satellite network and "counterspace" tech are making things trickier for US military operations.
Bottom line: Space is becoming an even bigger deal for global power plays.