The Pentagon has released an extraordinary image of China's secret space plane in orbit, captured by the Maxar satellite and featured in its new 2026 Space Threat Assessment. The reusable, uncrewed spacecraft launches on a rocket and returns to Earth on an orbit, similar to the US military's X-37B. China has carried out four orbital missions since 2020, demonstrating the ability to deploy and maneuver near other objects in space. Today warns that technologies used for satellite inspection and proximity operations can also support anti-satellite capabilities. China has revealed few details about the spacecraft's missions or capabilities.

The Pentagon has released an extraordinary image of China's secret space plane in orbit, captured by the Maxar satellite and featured in its new 2026 Space Threat Assessment. The reusable, uncrewed spacecraft launches on a rocket and returns to Earth on an orbit, similar to the US military's X-37B. China has carried out four orbital missions since 2020, demonstrating the ability to deploy and maneuver near other objects in space. Today warns that technologies used for satellite inspection and proximity operations can also support anti-satellite capabilities. China has revealed few details about the spacecraft's missions or capabilities.