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Coverage dated October 28, 2026 to October 30, 2026

New image sheds light on China's secret spaceplane

Headline from New Atlas

Newest development Oct 29, 2026 · 3 reportsChina's secret spaceplane? US military catches photo of aircraft

The veil of secrecy surrounding an orbital mystery has been lifted after the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released the clearest public view yet of China's secretive spaceplane. The photograph was taken on May 28, 2024, by a commercial Earth-imaging satellite from a distance of less than 56 m…

New Atlas's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. China's spaceplane bears striking resemblance to America's X-37B

    Headline from The Register ·

  2. Newest

    China's secret spaceplane? US military catches photo of aircraft

    Headline from News Nation Now ·

3 reports not tied to one development ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

8 articles, oldest first.

  1. The Register

    China's spaceplane bears striking resemblance to America's X-37B (opens The Register)

    Published

    The Register's feed description

    Defense Intelligence Agency space report includes a rare orbital snap of the Chinese craft, and it looks rather familiar

  2. Gizmodo

    Here’s What China’s Mysterious Spaceplane Actually Looks Like (opens Gizmodo)

    Published

    Gizmodo's feed description

    A U.S. intelligence report provides a rare view of the experimental vehicle in orbit, and it's unsurprisingly familiar.

  3. Live Science

    First clear image of China's mysterious 'divine dragon' space plane revealed in US government report (opens Live Science)

    Published

    Live Science's feed description

    The Defense Intelligence Agency's latest "Challenges to Security in Space" report included a declassified satellite photo of China's Shenlong, or "divine dragon," space plane, which has released at least nine mysterious payloads into low Earth orbit since 2022.

  4. ZME Science

    China’s Secret Spaceplane Exposed by an Unlikely Observer While Hurtling Through Space at Over 17,000 Miles per Hour (opens ZME Science)

    Published

    ZME Science's feed description

    A commercial satellite snaps the clearest orbital portrait yet of China’s reusable top secret robotic spacecraft.

  5. Charisma Magazine Online

    US Intelligence Exposes China’s Secret Space Plane Caught on Camera (opens Charisma Magazine Online)

    Published

    Charisma Magazine Online's feed description

    What exactly is China doing in space? A newly released U.S. military image is raising questions about China’s mysterious Shenlong spaceplane and what the country may be developing beyond Earth’s atmosphere. According to Space.

  6. Newsweek

    China’s Mysterious Space Plane Exposed in New Pentagon Images (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    An image published by the DIA shows the Chinese space plane, called Shenlong, attached to an unidentified satellite.

  7. News Nation Now

    China's secret spaceplane? US military catches photo of aircraft (opens News Nation Now)

    Published

    News Nation Now's feed description

    The aircraft image appeared in the Defense Intelligence Agency's latest report examining the breadth of adversary threats in space.

  8. New Atlas

    New image sheds light on China's secret spaceplane (opens New Atlas)

    Published

    New Atlas's feed description

    The veil of secrecy surrounding an orbital mystery has been lifted after the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released the clearest public view yet of China's secretive spaceplane. The photograph was taken on May 28, 2024, by a commercial Earth-imaging satellite from a distance of less than 56 m…

New image sheds light on China's secret spaceplane | Since Then