China’s Shenlong Space Plane Lands After 268 Days, Marking Major Milestone

China’s secretive space plane, Shenlong, has returned to Earth safely after 268 days in orbit, marking its third successful mission. The reusable experimental spacecraft landed in the Gobi Desert on September 5, 2024. Its mission, launched aboard a Long March-2F rocket in December 2023, aimed to verify reusable space technologies and conduct scientific experiments.

“China’s Shenlong space plane, after 268 days in orbit, marks a significant stride towards the future of reusable space technology, quietly shaping the nation’s growing influence in space exploration.”

In a previous flight, Shenlong ejected an unknown object into orbit, sparking speculation about the spacecraft’s military applications. Despite these developments, China remains tight-lipped about the plane’s specifications, including its size and weight.

The Shenlong space plane’s latest mission is seen as a significant step in China’s progress toward developing affordable, reusable round-trip space vehicles, a goal also pursued by the U.S. with its X-37B program. Both countries are engaged in advancing technologies that could shape the future of space exploration and military capabilities.

The successful return of Shenlong demonstrates the increasing maturity of China’s reusable spacecraft technology, which experts believe will have broader applications, including satellite maintenance, orbital proximity operations, and potentially more strategic uses in space.