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An Austrian amateur space watcher captured rare images of China’s Shenlong spaceplane during its third orbital mission. Using a 14-inch telescope and equipment that tracked the satellite across the field of view, Felix Schöfbänker recorded a grainy, aircraft-like shape. The pictures reveal the craft’s general appearance, but not its exact dimensions, the identity of features that appear to protrude from it, or what it was doing in orbit.
How the amateur observer photographed Shenlong
Space.com reported on 5 August 2024 that Schöfbänker, an experienced observer in Upper Austria, filmed Shenlong as it passed overhead. His telescope had a 14-inch mirror, and satellite-tracking equipment kept the fast-moving spacecraft centered in the field of view.
Schöfbänker described his processing method this way: “I make these images by taking a video during the flyover and then stacking (averaging out) and sharpening the best frames.” Stacking combines information across selected frames, while sharpening makes edges easier to discern. That can make a faint, moving object more legible, but it does not turn the resulting image into a detailed engineering photograph.
The spacecraft was on its third flight, launched on 14 December 2023 aboard a Long March 2F rocket. At the time of Space.com’s report, it had recently lowered its orbit to roughly 217 miles (350 kilometers) above Earth. Space.com’s report on the sighting
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What the images show—and what they cannot establish
The images show a small, grainy object with an aircraft-like outline. Features appear at one end, but Schöfbänker could not identify them. “I am not really sure if they are solar panels or some other features like an antenna or something of that nature,” he told Space.com. The viewing angle and lighting could also conceal parts of the spacecraft. The images therefore do not confirm that the apparent appendages are solar panels.
Schöfbänker estimated the vehicle to be about 30 feet (10 meters) long, while cautioning that the estimate could be off. He could not estimate its wingspan. That is an observer’s rough measurement from images, not an official specification; China has disclosed little about Shenlong’s design. Space.com on the observer’s size estimate
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What is known about China’s spaceplane program
Shenlong is a robotic reusable spaceplane that is launched by rocket and returns to land on a runway. Space.com has described its broad design as resembling the U.S. Space Force’s X-37B. That resemblance does not establish that the vehicles share dimensions, capabilities, or mission objectives.
China’s public explanation of the program has been general. A statement from Xinhua, quoted by Space.com, said it “will pave the way for more convenient and affordable round-trip methods for the peaceful use of space in the future.” The specific objectives of Shenlong’s missions have not been publicly disclosed in the reporting. Space.com’s report on Shenlong’s flight history and fourth mission
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Space.com’s February 2026 account listed launches in September 2020, May 2023, and September 2024, with the first three missions lasting approximately two, 276, and 266 days, respectively. Shenlong’s fourth mission launched from Jiuquan on 6 February 2026. Those flight durations and launch dates describe the chronology; they do not reveal what the spacecraft tested or accomplished.
What orbital activity has been reported
Operations during the second mission
The CSIS Aerospace Security Project’s 2024 assessment said LeoLabs observed Shenlong’s second mission release an object and perform formation flying, docking, and recapture operations. CSIS wrote, “There are no indications that China’s spaceplanes would act as counterspace weapons.” It also noted that rendezvous and proximity operations, object releases, docking, and capture are capabilities relevant to an orbital anti-satellite capability. These are distinct points: reported operations may demonstrate technical abilities, but they do not prove a weapon role or hostile intent. CSIS Aerospace Security Project’s 2024 assessment
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An object associated with the fourth mission
Space.com reported in June 2026 that LeoLabs detected an unknown object at 02:30 UTC on 22 June, first observing it with a radar in New Zealand. After further observations, LeoLabs assessed with high confidence that Shenlong had released it. This is LeoLabs’s tracking assessment as reported by Space.com, not a public Chinese confirmation. The report does not establish the object’s purpose or design. Space.com’s report on the tracked object
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unresolved
- Exact specifications: The available reporting does not establish Shenlong’s official length, wingspan, or detailed design.
- The photographed features: The apparent appendages could be solar panels, an antenna, or another feature; the images do not settle the question.
- Mission purpose: China’s public statement is broad, and the specific objectives of the photographed flight and later missions are not disclosed in the cited reporting.
- Released objects: Tracking reports describe observations and assessments, but do not identify the objects’ functions.
The sighting is valuable because it offers an unusual view of a rarely seen spacecraft. Its strongest evidence is visual: a spaceplane-like vehicle was photographed in orbit. More specific claims about its hardware, size, or intent go beyond what the images and cited tracking reports establish.
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