A top secret Chinese spaceplane that launched into orbit last week is sending strong signals over North America.
The craft – dubbed Shenlong after a spirit dragon from Chinese mythology – has released six mysterious objects after reaching the Earth’s orbit for the third time in three years.
The objects are being tracked by the US Space Force but no details have been released publicly as to what they are or what purpose they serve.
Amateur astronomer Scott Tilley has been tracking the plane and examining the signals they have been emitting.
He told DailyMail.com they appear to be sending the strongest signals while passing over North America.
It comes just 10 months after the US shot down a Chinese spy that could have collected intelligence as it passed over several military sites.
China’s top-secret spaceplane deployed five unidentified objects into orbit after launching last week, which are now sending strong signals back to Earth. Pictured is a shot of the spaceplane in orbit
Tilley said he believes the signals are targeting a ground station or boat near British Columbia, Canada, where he lives.
‘When the spaceplane passes over me, it only emits on a certain trajectory of pass that appears to favor a location south to southwest of me.
‘I.e., on higher elevation passes over me, there are no signals, but on ocean-hugging passes to my southwest, all of my observations of the object have occurred.’
Tilley has teamed up with a group in Switzerland that specializes in optical-band space surveillance, and the collaboration has been keeping a close eye on the plane since it launched on December 15.
The US Department of Defense has designated the six objects OBJECT A through F.
Tilley and the team in Switzerland labeled the spaceplane Object A, which has ‘now been identified as the test spacecraft by the US Space Force.’
Object B is ‘very bright’ and showed ‘characteristics during several passes that we would rather associate with an upper stage,’ according to S2A Systems, the team in Switzerland.
‘The light curve of Object D also indicates a stabilized attitude control,’ the team continued.
Object A is very bright with a stable attitude control – pictured is the light curve captured by Tilley
‘Object C appears to be a rapidly spinning faint piece of debris. OBJECT F is also quite faint, but no rotation has yet been detected.
‘We will carry out further measurements during the coming weeks.’
Objects E and D are believed to be satellites.
‘The object suspected as the space plane Object A emits signals,’ said Tilley.
‘Objects D and E have also been observed emitting signals by an observer in Australia.
‘I have also received another report just now of a possible reception of signals from Object B.’
Tilley has teamed up with a group in Switzerland that specializes in optical-band space surveillance, and the collaboration has been keeping a close eye on the plane since it launched on December 15
China’s spaceplane launched one day after the US was forced to scrub the flight of its ‘spy’ plane (pictured), which the US Space Force chief said was ‘no coincidence.’
An announcement in the Chinese press described the purpose of the space plane as providing ‘technical support for the peaceful use of space’ – but the nation has kept details under wraps, as has American officials about their craft.
China’s spaceplane launched one day after the US was forced to scrub the flight of its ‘spy’ plane, which the US Space Force chief said was ‘no coincidence.’
‘It’s probably no coincidence that they’re trying to match us in timing and sequence of this,’ General Chance Saltzman, Space Force’s Chief of Space Operations, said.
Speaking at the Space Force Association’s Spacepower Conference in Orlando, General Saltzman emphasized the sophistication of these unmanned and reusable orbital spycrafts, which can offer greater operational security than spy satellites.
‘The ability to put something into orbit, do some things, and bring it home and take a look at the results is powerful,’ Saltzman said.
‘It’s no surprise that the Chinese are extremely interested in our spaceplane,’ he said. ‘And we’re extremely interested in theirs.’
Nevertheless — despite years of promo photos of America’s Boeing-designed X-37B covert spacecraft — no images of its Chinese rival have leaked to the public.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
