Unveiling Enigmatic Objects in Earth’s Orbit: China’s Mysterious Space Plane

China’s Shenlong robotic space plane has added another layer of mystery to its mission. Shortly after its third launch, the space plane deployed six enigmatic objects into Earth’s orbit, captivating the attention of amateur spacecraft trackers worldwide. These objects, designated as OBJECT A, B, C, D, E, and F, have been closely observed, and intriguing emissions have been recorded from some of them.

Satellite tracker and amateur astronomer Scott Tilley has noticed that OBJECT A emits signals reminiscent of those emitted by objects released during previous Chinese space plane missions. The modulated signals contain limited data, leading to speculation that OBJECT A may be in close proximity to another unidentified object. Tilley has referred to these objects as “mysterious wingmen” on X (formerly Twitter). On the other hand, OBJECTs D and E emit intermittent “placeholder” signals without accompanying data, which differ from emissions observed in earlier missions.

Through meticulous analysis, Tilley and fellow satellite trackers have determined that the emissions originate from the objects themselves or from their immediate vicinity. Their conclusions are based on observing the objects along their expected paths, the absence of other known objects during data collection, and the unique modulation of the signals at a frequency of 2280MHz, specific to previous Chinese space plane missions.

The current mission of China’s space plane exhibits different radio behavior compared to previous missions, as highlighted by Tilley. Notably, the emissions from OBJECTs D and E are a new observation, suggesting they may have been missed in earlier missions due to their intermittent nature. Tilley emphasizes the significance of monitoring the close encounters between OBJECT A and OBJECTs D and E, as the latter two follow elliptical orbits while OBJECT A follows a near-circular orbit.

China’s space plane has previously displayed similar behaviors, releasing unidentified objects during its September 2020 and August 2022 missions. These objects have been speculated to serve as service modules, test articles, or surveillance satellites monitoring the space plane’s activities.

Interestingly, the United States operates a comparable spacecraft, the Boeing-built X-37B, which shares similarities with China’s Shenlong space plane. However, information about the exact operations and capabilities of the X-37B remains limited. The timing of the launches of these two reusable space planes appears to be intentional, as remarked by General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force. This synchronized timing and sequencing indicate a deliberate effort to match each other’s actions in space.

As the enigma surrounding China’s Shenlong and its deployed objects deepens, enthusiasts eagerly await further developments and possible encounters between these intriguing celestial entities. The parallel pursuits of China and the United States in the realm of reusable space planes only add to the intrigue and competition in the evolving landscape of space exploration.

Check out the article in Space.com: https://www.space.com/china-space-plane-depoyed-mystery-objects

Advertisement