Unclassified report reveals clearest photo of China's secret spaceplane Shenlong

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) of the United States has released a photo of China's secretive space plane, Shenlong. This is the best picture of the plane yet that has been made available to the public. The photo shows the aircraft from below, with solar panels seen on its tail. Geospatial intelligence company Maxar Technologies took the photo in 2024, and it is part of DIA’s Challenges to Security in Space report.

What the DIA report carries

The report spans 130 pages and details the threats in space that the United States and others are facing. The bigger problem highlighted in the report is that of space debris. Junk in space in the form of defunct satellites and several broken-up pieces is becoming a huge problem in space. They threaten to set off a chain reaction, also known as Kessler Syndrome, where high-speed collisions destroy more satellites and create even more debris. The report also flags space ambitions of countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Also Read: China's secretive Shenlong space plane releases mystery object in orbit. What is Beijing up to?

The report calls Shenlong an unnamed Chinese spaceplane. The plane has been around for nearly 20 years, yet very little is known about it. A prototype of the plane was launched on a two-day orbital mission in 2020, then a 276-day mission in 2022, with the third one in 2023, when it flew for 268 days. The photo taken by Maxar was most likely taken when Shenlong took off for the 2023 mission.

DIA states that the spaceplane released an unidentified object into orbit at the time. However, everything else about it remains a mystery. Shenlong reportedly took off for its fourth mission from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on February 7, 2026.

US also has its own spaceplane, the X-37B, which has been designed by Boeing. On its eighth mission, the plane spent 431 days in low Earth orbit. It uses onboard gallium arsenide solar cells to generate electrical power. It takes off vertically and lands horizontally. It measures over 29 feet long, has a nearly 15-foot-long wingspan, and flies at speeds of 28,044 kmph.