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Shenlong (spacecraft)

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Shenlong (simplified Chinese: 神龙; traditional Chinese: 神龍; pinyin: shén lóng; lit. 'divine dragon'), also known as the Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft (Chinese: 可重复使用试验航天器; pinyin: Kěchóngfùshǐyòng shìyàn hángtiānqì; lit. 'Reusable Experimental Spacecraft') is a Chinese reusable uncrewed spaceplane.[1] According to media reports, the spacecraft is launched into Earth orbit in a vertical configuration while enclosed within the payload fairings of a rocket like a traditional satellite, but it returns to Earth via autonomous runway landing. Only a few pictures have appeared since it was revealed in late 2007.[2] It embarked upon its initial orbital mission on 4 September 2020.[3][4][5][6] In the absence of any official descriptions of the spacecraft or photographic depictions thereof, some observers have speculated that the spacecraft may resemble the X-37B spaceplane of the United States in both form and function.[7][8]

Shenlong
Role Reusable uncrewed spaceplane
National origin  China
First flight 11 December 2007 (drop tests)
8 January 2011 (suborbital flight)
4 September 2020 (orbital flight)
Status Deployed (in use), 3 missions done
Primary user People's Liberation Army (PLA)
China National Space Administration (CNSA)[1]

Spaceplane

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Images of an aerodynamic scaled model, ready to be launched from under the fuselage of a Xian H-6 bomber,[9][10] were first published on 11 December 2007.[11] Code named Program 863-706, the Chinese name of this spacecraft was revealed as "Shenlong Spaceplane" (神龙空天飞机). These images, possibly taken in late 2005, show the vehicle's black reentry heat shielding, indicating a reusable design, and its engine assembly.[12] The first sub-orbital flight of the Shenlong reportedly took place on 8 January 2011.[13]

Earlier, images of the High-enthalpy Shock Waves Laboratory wind tunnel of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) State Key Laboratory of High-Temperature Gas Dynamics (LHD) were published in the Chinese media. Tests with speeds up to Mach 20 were reached in around 2001.[14]

As of 2007, the CAS academician Zhunang Fenggan (莊逢甘) said that a first test flight of the spaceplane would be conducted during the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan", from 2006 to 2010.[15]

Operational history

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The state-owned Xinhua News Agency reported in 2017 that China planned to launch a reusable spacecraft in 2020 designed to "fly into the sky like an aircraft".[16]

Mission 1

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The spacecraft's first mission began on 4 September 2020 at 07:30 UTC when it was launched into low earth orbit via a Long March-2F/T3 carrier rocket; the launch occurred at China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the Gobi Desert. According to the Xinhua News Agency, "(a)fter a period of in-orbit operation, the spacecraft will return to the scheduled landing site in China. It will test reusable technologies during its flight, providing technological support for the peaceful use of space".[7]

For launching payloads like the spaceplane, the Long March 2F/G needs four cusps added to its fairing to accommodate the payload (as seen post-launch), which led to speculation that the spacecraft resembles the US' Boeing X37-B.[17][18][19]

Chinese media reported that "the test spacecraft will be in orbit for a period of time before returning to the domestic scheduled landing site. During this period, it will carry out reusable technology verification as planned to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space."[20]

Unofficial reports indicate that the spacecraft is part of the Shenlong spaceplane, which is claimed to be similar to the Boeing X-37B.[21]

On 6 September 2020, two days after the launch, the spacecraft successfully returned to the Earth.[22][8] According to observers Marco Langbroek and Jonathan McDowell, the spacecraft's landing site was an airbase located at Lop Nur, China.[5]

On 7 September 2020, commercial satellite reconnaissance company Planet Labs published a satellite photo of a 3.1-mile (5.0 km) runway at Lop Nur, taken shortly after the landing of the spaceplane.[23] Astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics speculated that one of the dots visible on the image of the runway was the Chinese spaceplane.[23]

On 8 September 2020, Spaceflight Now reported that US analysts had detected the launch at 7:30 GMT on the fourth of September and that the craft's orbital axes were 332 kilometres (206 mi) by 348 kilometres (216 mi), and inclined by 50.2 degrees with respect to the equator.[16]

Mission 2

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On 4 August 2022 at around 16:00 UTC, the spacecraft was launched for a second time,[24] again on top of a Long March 2F rocket.[25] The spacecraft was observed to have raised its orbit on 25 August 2022 to a near-circular 597 by 608-kilometre orbit.[26] While aloft it deployed at least one object that may have been a small satellite or monitoring craft. On 8 May 2023, the spacecraft returned to Earth after 276 days in orbit.[27]

Mission 3

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On 14 December 2023 at around 14:12 UTC, the spacecraft was launched for a third time, again on top of a Long March 2F rocket.[28] It has released at least seven objects into orbit.[29] On 6 September 2024, 01:10 UTC, the spacecraft returned to Earth after 266 days and 10 hours in orbit.[30]

The spaceplane was photographed in orbit, from the ground, by an amateur space photographer.[29][31][32]

List of missions

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As of 2023, there is no information in the western media regarding the total number of spacecraft which may have been built or in operation.

Flight Vehicle Launch date Landing date Launcher Duration Notes Status
mission 1 unknown 4 September 2020
07:30 UTC 		6 September 2020 Long March 2F 2 days
  • First Chinese autonomous orbital runway landing
  • First flight
  • Landed at Lop Nur
 Success
mission 2 unknown 4 August 2022
16:00 UTC 		8 May 2023 Long March 2F 276 days
  • Landed at Lop Nur
  • Spacecraft performed orbital maneuvers
 Success
mission 3 unknown 14 December 2023
~14:12 UTC 		6 September 2024
01:10 UTC 		Long March 2F 266 days and 10 hours
  • Landed at Lop Nur
  • Spacecraft performed orbital maneuvers
 Success

Specifications

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The only information available about the program is the photos taken from the ground by an amateur in 2024,[29][31][32] revealing structures similar to solar panels or antennas. The payload fairings used, having been photographed after their fall to the ground, showed extensions that could house wings and help constrain the size and wingspan of the craft.[17][18][19][33]

Without a clear link being established between these two projects, in 2020, Chen Hongbo, of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the main contractor for China's space agency, said during a 2017 interview that China's space plane would be able to be re-used up to 20 times.[16][34] Chen said the vehicle's first stage would use a scramjet engine.[35]

Speculation over the spaceplane's role

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When asked to speculate on the spaceplane's role Brian Weeden, director of program planning for the Secure World Foundation said, "It's a great question. We're not even really sure why the U.S. military is pursuing a space plane."[23]

Jonathan McDowell speculated that the very high speeds the spaceplane underwent during re-entry might help the Chinese in their development of hypersonic missiles.[23] He added the Chinese may have thought, "If the Americans have one of those, there's got to be a good reason for it, so we better get one too."[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Moss, Trefor (4 September 2020). "China Launches Experimental Spaceplane". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  2. ^ Richard Fisher, Jr. (17 December 2007). "Shenlong Space Plane Advances China's Military Space Potential". International Assessment and Strategy Center. Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  3. ^ "China launches reusable experimental spacecraft". Xinhuanet. Jiuquan. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020. After a period of in-orbit operation, the spacecraft will return to the scheduled landing site in China. It will test reusable technologies during its flight, providing technological support for the peaceful use of space.
  4. ^ "我国成功发射可重复使用试验航天器" [Our country successfully launched a reusable experimental spacecraft]. Xinhuanet. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b Todd, David (6 September 2020). "China launches own mini-spaceplane reusable spacecraft using a Long March 2F rocket... then lands it two days later". Seradata. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Chongfu Shiyong Shiyan Hangtian Qi (CSSHQ)". Gunter's space page.
  7. ^ a b "China just launched a "reusable experimental spacecraft" into orbit". Space.com. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  8. ^ a b "China's Experimental Reusable Spacecraft Lands Successfully - Xinhua". Reuters. 6 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Mystery Space Plane May be Part of U.S.-China Competition". HuffPost. 11 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Don't Buy China's Hypersonic Head-Fake. Its Spaceplanes Are Racing Ahead". Defense One. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  11. ^ Shats, Daniel (2021). Chinese spaceplane programs. Peter Wood, BluePath Labs, China Aerospace Studies Institute. Montgomery, AL. ISBN 9798763459043. OCLC 1288576470.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ "中国"神龙"飞行器首度曝光 身世扑朔迷离". mil.news.sohu.com. SOHU.com. 11 January 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
  13. ^ "Shenlong "Divine Dragon" takes flight, is China developing its first spaceplane?". chinasignpost.com. China Signpost. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  14. ^ "氢氧爆轰驱动激波高焓风洞". lhd.imech.cas.cn. 中国科学院高温气体动力学重点实验室. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  15. ^ "國產空天飛機 3年內試飛". 香港文匯報. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  16. ^ a b c Clark, Stephen (8 September 2020). "China tests experimental reusable spacecraft shrouded in mystery". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 10 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020. The spacecraft took off on top of a Long March 2F rocket Friday from the Jiuquan launch base in the Gobi Desert of northwestern China, according to a statement from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., or CASC, the state-owned company that oversees China's space industry.
  17. ^ a b @CNSAWatcher (14 August 2022). "Fairing of CZ2F rocket which launched CSSHQ on Aug 5 being openly exhibited in Henan Jiyuan No.1 middle school. If the bumps are spare spaces for wings, CSSHQ's wingspan could be larger than fairing's diameter 4.2m" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 August 2022 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ a b @Kedrskie (14 August 2022). "ミニシャトルを載せてたんでないかと噂されている、8/5に打ち上げられた長征2号F/T。そのフェアリングに大きな張り出しが設けられていて、シャトルの翼端を納める為のものでは？というツイート。張り出しの裏側が見えるコマを切り出して明度を上げると、確かに内側は空洞になってる。" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 14 August 2022 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ a b @CNSpaceflight (14 August 2022). "The leaked footage of #CZ2F fairing suggests the Chinese reusable spaceplane may be X-37B alike. 👇Here are some dimensions overlay (each floor brick measures ~600x600mm). The distance & angle between wings and tail fins "exactly" match that of X-37B. The fairing measures 4.2m..." (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 August 2022 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ "氢China launches experimental spaceplane". NASASpaceflight.com. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  21. ^ "China's mystery experimental spacecraft could be part of Shenlong". South China Morning Post. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  22. ^ "China's reusable experimental spacecraft back to landing site". Xinhuanet. Jiuquan. 6 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020. The successful flight marked the country's important breakthrough in reusable spacecraft research and is expected to offer convenient and low-cost round trip transport for the peaceful use of the space.
  23. ^ a b c d e Geoff Brumfiel (7 September 2020). "New Chinese Space Plane Landed At Mysterious Air Base, Evidence Suggests". National Public Radio. Retrieved 19 September 2020. The photo, which is too low resolution to be conclusive, was snapped by the San Francisco-based company Planet. It shows what could be the classified Chinese spacecraft on a long runway, along with several support vehicles lined up nearby.
  24. ^ @AJ_FI (9 August 2022). "China's secretive spaceplane is still in orbit following its launch on Thursday. The first mission, in Sep. 2020, lasted ~two days, so this is already a longer mission this time out. Only word from China far is a terse statement of launch. A few things to note so far" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ^ Jones, Andrew (4 August 2022). "China launches secretive reusable test spacecraft". SpaceNews. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  26. ^ "China's spaceplane raises orbit and national funding". 25 October 2022.
  27. ^ "Mystery Chinese spacecraft returns to Earth after 276 days". Reuters. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  28. ^ Brett Tingley (14 December 2023). "China launches secret space plane on 3rd-ever mission". Space.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  29. ^ a b c Paul, Andrew (7 August 2024). "China's super-secret space plane spotted above Europe". Popular Science. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  30. ^ Jones, Andrew (14 December 2023). "China launches mystery reusable spaceplane for third time". SpaceNews. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  31. ^ a b Leonard David (5 August 2024). "China's secretive space plane caught on camera in orbit (photos)". Space.com. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  32. ^ a b Leonard David (24 September 2024). "New image of China's secret space plane shows delta-wing design". Space.com. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  33. ^ Daniel Marín (9 September 2024). "Finaliza la tercera misión del avión orbital chino". danielmarin.naukas.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  34. ^ Ryan Woo; Stella Qiu; Simon Cameron-Moore (6 September 2020). "Reusable Chinese Spacecraft Lands Successfully: State Media". Halifax Chronicle Herald. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020. Chinese social media has been rife with speculation over the spacecraft, which some commentators compared to the U.S. Air Force's X-37B, an autonomous spaceplane made by Boeing that can remain in orbit for long periods of time before flying back to Earth on its own.
  35. ^ Jeffrey Lin; P.W. Singer (18 December 2017). "China could become a major space power by 2050: Plans include launches, robotic moon bases, and interplanetary manned missions". Popular Science magazine. Retrieved 19 September 2020. The China Academy of Launch Technology (a CASC subsidiary) research and development Director Chen Hongbo told the official Xinhua News Agency that the two-stage spaceplane would be rocket-powered at first, and will be able to fly off a runway at hypersonic speeds to near space.
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