A new intriguing report has emerged about China’s mysterious spacecraft. China has once again left a mysterious object in space from its top-secret spaceplane. However, this time it got caught. We do not exactly know what this object is, but according to reports from the U.S. Space Force, this object has been designated as 59884 (International Identifier 2023-195G). So, what is China secretly doing in space? Here are the details…
China caught leaving a mysterious object in space with its spaceplane
China’s spaceplane has been orbiting for over 165 days and most recently left a new mysterious object on May 24. The spaceplane first entered orbit on December 14, 2023. Since then, it has been orbiting the Earth and occasionally leaving various objects or emitting signals. Experts suggest this spaceplane might be produced in response to the U.S.’s X-37B spaceplane.
There are various speculations about this new mysterious object. Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics suggests it could be a subsatellite or a piece of hardware left before the mission ends.
McDowell states that the object was left around 19:00 UTC on May 24 and is in an orbit at an altitude of 602 km x 608 km with an inclination of 50 degrees. China’s mysterious object-leaving spaceplane bears significant similarities to the U.S.’s X-37B spaceplane.
Both vehicles are reusable spaceplanes, marking significant advancements in space technology. These vehicles reduce the cost of space missions and enable missions to be carried out more frequently. China’s spaceplane had its first flight in 2020, which lasted only two days.
The second flight started in 2022 and lasted a full 276 days. During these flights, it was also reported that objects were left in space. During its current flight, China’s spaceplane performed a series of maneuvers to change its orbit.
Initially, it settled in an orbit at altitudes of 333 km to 348 km and then increased this orbit to altitudes of 602 km to 609 km. According to the U.S. Space Force, these maneuvers might aim to test the spaceplane’s capabilities and mission flexibility.
China remains very secretive about this mysterious object-leaving spaceplane. The country’s space authorities have not shared any images or details about the spaceplane. Only in a brief statement after the launch did they mention that “reusable technology verification and space science experiments are planned to be carried out as planned” with the spaceplane. What do you think China plans to do by leaving mysterious objects in space? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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