A new unclassified report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) features a high-resolution orbital photograph captured by Maxar Technologies of China’s secretive Shenlong (“Divine Dragon”) reusable spaceplane. The image reveals a compact, winged spacecraft bearing strong structural similarities to the U.S. Space Force’s Boeing X-37B, complete with a dark thermal-protection heat shield, an open payload bay, and deployed solar arrays. The spaceplane is currently executing its fourth known mission having launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on February 7, 2026 following previous prolonged flights that involved proximity maneuvers, formation flying, and the deployment and retrieval of companion objects. While Beijing maintains that the craft is strictly an experimental vehicle designed to test reusable space technologies, defense analysts note that its maneuverability and payload capacities carry dual-use implications for satellite inspection, maintenance, and potential counter-space operations.

Full report : U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Releases Clearest Orbital Image Yet of China’s Secretive Shenlong Spaceplane.