DIA Releases Clearer Image of Chinese Spaceplane

The Defense Intelligence Agency has released a higher-resolution image identifying a Chinese orbital spaceplane, offering a clearer public view of the vehicle while leaving its model and mission purpose unconfirmed. The image was taken in 2024 by a satellite operated by Maxar, now known as Vantor, and included in the DIA’s unclassified assessment of space threats. The agency identifies the craft as a Chinese spaceplane but does not say whether it is Shenlong or Tengyun, two designs named in the assessment. Some reports associate the image with Shenlong, but that identification is not established by the DIA caption. The photograph shows a winged vehicle with its payload-bay doors open and an object attached to its rear section. Vantor said the object is a separate satellite, whose structure and solar arrays are visible. The image provides a view of the craft in orbit but does not establish its capabilities, payload or operational purpose. China has conducted four reported orbital spaceplane missions since 2020, according to the DIA. The latest launched on February 7, 2026, and remained in orbit as of October 27, according to the assessment. The agency’s report describes the...