Intelligence Directorate of the US Department of Defense (THERE) released a unique declassified photo of China's secret Shenlong reusable spacecraft ("Divine Dragon"), made directly in orbit. The photo captured the moment of docking of a military drone with another spacecraft of unknown purpose. This footage was included in a new official DIA report assessing the scale of space threats from potential US adversaries.
Високодеталізоване зображення було отримане комерційним супутником WorldView 3 компанії Vantor з рекордно малої відстані — всього 90 kilometers (56 miles). Завдяки оптиці супутника роздільна здатність знімка становить 4,5 centimeters per pixel, which allowed military analysts to clearly see the design features of the secret apparatus for the first time. The T-shaped structure is clearly visible in the photo, formed by a winged spacecraft and a satellite with deployed solar panels, as well as the open flaps of the Shenlong cargo compartment.
Technical observers and intelligence structures link the open hatches of the cargo compartment to the active phase of the fourth mission of the space shuttle, which started in February 2026 year. Офіційний Пекін заявляє лише про «мирне тестування технологій для дешевого повернення з космосу». Проте американська компанія космічної розвідки LeoLabs зафіксувала, що в червні 2026 року Shenlong відстикував та вивів на орбіту субсупутник. Аналогічні операції зближення, маневрування та розгортання попутних об’єктів (RPO) were also recorded during China's second and third missions in 2023-2024.
The publication of this picture is a direct response to similar media moves by the US Space Force, which in February 2025 for the first time released a photo of their classified military space plane Boeing X-37B in high Earth orbit with an open cargo compartment. According to the estimates of independent experts, in the conditions of the new space race between the USA and China, the dosed leakage of such ultra-clear satellite images is an element of strategic deterrence, where defense agencies demonstrate their capabilities to track adversary orbital objects, not formally disclosing the full technical parameters of its intelligence systems.
Source: https://www.space.com