---
title: "China's Secret Spaceplane 'Shenlong' Performs Complex Orbital Maneuvers and Recovers Satellites"
description: "China's secret spaceplane Shenlong has once again demonstrated its capability to deploy, capture, and recover satellites in orbit."
date: 2026-09-25T11:47:40.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/chinas-secret-spaceplane-shenlong-recovers-satellites
tags: [china, spaceplane, shenlong, satellites, space-exploration]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# China's Secret Spaceplane 'Shenlong' Performs Complex Orbital Maneuvers and Recovers Satellites

![Chinese spaceplane Shenlong in orbit](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/25/kitayskiy-kosmicheskiy-apparat-shenlong-vozvrashchaet-sputniki/kitayskiy-kosmicheskiy-apparat-shenlong-vozvrashchaet-sputniki-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The Shenlong spaceplane deployed and recovered the same satellite twice within three months.
- Data analysis confirms complex proximity operations utilizing robotic arms.
- Experts note similarities to the US X-37B mission profile, but with significantly more active orbital manipulation.

China's secretive spaceplane, unofficially known as Shenlong («Divine Dragon»), has once again drawn the attention of the global expert community. According to recent analytical data from astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, based on US Space Force tracking reports, the spacecraft repeatedly deployed, retrieved, and re-deployed a small satellite over a three-month period. Such operations demonstrate the high technological maturity of China's space program.

### Chronology of Orbital Maneuvers and Operations

Detailed tracking data analysis indicates that on June 21, the spacecraft deployed a satellite designated 2026-024H. Around July 12, the spaceplane rendezvoused with the object and retrieved it, presumably using a robotic arm. Late August saw a second deployment of the same satellite, which subsequently relocated thousands of kilometers away. The final approach and recapture were recorded between September 10 and September 13, 2026.

### Contradictory Data

During the September operations, the US tracking system briefly detected a second object, sparking hypotheses about the launch of an additional satellite. However, independent expert Jonathan McDowell leans toward the assessment that this was likely a duplicate entry in the tracking catalog rather than a new operational vehicle. Beijing officially maintains silence, revealing neither technical specifications nor the true purpose of the Shenlong mission, which resembles the American X-37B in configuration.

### Comparison with Counterparts and Strategic Significance

Experts highlight a key difference between the Chinese craft and its American counterpart, the X-37B, which, according to the Secure World Foundation, has not been observed actively rendezvousing or manipulating other objects in orbit. Shenlong's capability to precisely maneuver, inspect, and service spacecraft opens up both peaceful maintenance prospects and potential avenues for inspecting foreign assets, raising legitimate concerns in the West.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Китайский космический аппарат, обладающий секретными технологиями, неоднократно возвращал на Землю спутники.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/tau-vu-tru-bi-mat-trung-quoc-lien-tuc-tu-thu-hoi-ve-tinh) - Основной источник информации о полетах космоплана и анализе Джонатана Макдауэлла.
- [Австралийский спутник изучил на орбите секретный китайский аппарат](https://hi-tech.mail.ru/news/136418-avstralijskij-sputnik-izuchil-na-orbite-sekretnyj-kitajskij-apparat/) - Контекстная информация об изучении секретного китайского аппарата.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What is Shenlong?
**A:** It is the unofficial designation for China's classified reusable spaceplane, similar in configuration to the American X-37B.

### Q: What is the significance of these orbital maneuvers?
**A:** The spacecraft deployed a small satellite, retrieved it, and then redeployed and recaptured it, showcasing advanced proximity operations.