Chinese Space Program

Rumors are the next CZ-2F launch on 4 Sept. will be an experimental Space Plane (?)
 
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Xinhua News Agency: "successfully launched a reusable test spacecraft ... The test spacecraft will be in orbit for a period of time before returning to the scheduled landing site".
 
Now have a look at that orbit compared to the X-37B.


https://twitter.com/x/status/1301857050515984384
View: https://twitter.com/marco_langbroek/status/1301857050515984384


Orbital plane for a 7:00 UT launch (depicted orbit for assumed 350 km altitude) compared to the X-37B OTV 6 orbital plane:
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1301857274642788354
View: https://twitter.com/marco_langbroek/status/1301857274642788354


Orbital plane crossing of the OTV 6 plane over Jiuquan was at 6:00 UT
Click to expand...
 
Congratulations to China.

I'm curious if the reusable space craft could also act as "Tanker" to refuel Satellite. US considered refuellable satellite, but so far no real platform assigned to do such thing. I suspect X-37 can be of such a purpose.

Refuelling Satellite have benefit namely extend the use of the Satellite. Current day conventional Satellite's life is limited by its fuel supply, for which used for station keeping maneuver, preventing it from orbital decay.
 
I wonder if they will ever release video of the landing given that I haven't seen any video of air drop tests. It would be nice to know what it looks like (a real picture vs someone's artwork). It would be a propaganda plus to do so and wouldn't reveal any secrets.
 
More interesting questions Is this Chinese Reusable Spacecraft a Analog to:

The Soviet BOR test article for Buran shuttle program or the Chinese version of X-37 ?
 

The third phase of China's lunar exploration project has officially started!
At 9 a.m. this morning, the Yuanwang 21 and 22 rocket transport vessels left the docks of china's Satellite Maritime Survey and Control Department and went to Tianjin Port to carry out the long march 5 remote 5 carrier rocket maritime transport mission, which is expected to arrive in Tianjin Port on September 9, 2020. The Long March V remote 5 carrier rocket is scheduled to launch chang'e-5 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on November 24, with a total weight of 8.2 tons and consisting of four parts: orbiter, returner, lander and assactor.
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Very little is known about the spacecraft, including even its basic design. There are no picture or renders of the craft, but there have been rumors it is a spaceplane similar to the Air Force’s X-37B. A Chinese military source told the South China Morning Post they could not provide details on the mission but that “maybe you can take a look at the US X-37B.”
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www.theverge.com

China celebrates safe landing of secretive spacecraft as ‘important breakthrough’

China’s space ambitions continue to gather pace
www.theverge.com www.theverge.com
 
HY 2C (Haiyang = Ocean) launched 21 Sep /20 into a 66° inclination vs the sun-synchronous orbit used in a predecessor series.
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/1309908401728581632
View: https://twitter.com/coastal8049/status/1309908401728581632


The mysterious OBJECT A [46395, 2020-063G] left behind from the Chinese 'spaceplane' test is still emitting strongly on S-band. Evidence in the signal intensity changes indicates it possibly continues to tumble. Data was obtained with my S-Band omni antenna.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1309937489876938752
View: https://twitter.com/coastal8049/status/1309937489876938752


Here's a plot of the TLEs of OBJECT A, PRC TEST SPACECRAFT and it's CZ-2F R/B since launch.
Click to expand...
 

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