--- title: "Amateur Spacewatcher Uses Telescope to Spot Secret Chinese Spaceplane in Orbit" description: "An amateur Austrian space photographer has managed a difficult feat — capturing imagery of China's secretive Shenlong spaceplane." date: "2024-08-08" modified: "2024-08-08" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/amateur-telescope-chinese-spaceplane" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "china" - "shenlong" - "Spaceplane" - "the digest" --- # Amateur Spacewatcher Uses Telescope to Spot Secret Chinese Spaceplane in Orbit ![An amateur Austrian space photographer has managed a difficult feat — capturing imagery of China's secretive Shenlong spaceplane.]() *\Image: Felix Schöfbänker\* ## Picture This An amateur Austrian space photographer has managed a difficult feat: capturing imagery of China's secretive Shenlong spaceplane with hobbyist-level equipment. As [*Space.com* reports](), Felix Schöfbänker used his 14-inch telescope setup and image rendering software to catch a glimpse of the mysterious spacecraft that was [launched at the end of 2023](). In doing so, he found something that wasn't visible on any of the public renderings of the Shenlong spaceplane: two protrusions, possibly solar panels, on one end of the craft. "I am not really sure if they are solar panels," Schöfbänker told the website, "or some other features like an antenna or something of that nature." As the spacewatcher notes, the images "could be a bit off" given the angle at which it was illuminated during the flyover he captured — but nevertheless, it's a huge get, if not one that makes this covert craft all the more perplexing. https://www.twitter.com/bapak7189/status/1820754809701740659 ## Military Applicant If Schöfbänker's calculations are correct, Shenlong would measure about 30 feet in length, which would make it longer than the US military's own secretive spaceplane, the [Boeing-made X-37B](). At the end of July, just before the Austrian satellite spotter captured the images in question, [*Reuters* reported]() that space defense experts had begun expressing concerns that [Shenlong may have secretive military capabilities](). "Any space activity that \[the Chinese\] undertake, we assume has some dual use in the national security realm," General Stephen Whiting, the commander of US Space Command, told *Reuters*. "We're always interested in understanding what could that dual use be, and trying to make sure that we have a good knowledge of that." More than 200 days into its secretive mission, there's still almost nothing known about the Shenlong spaceplane. With Schöfbänker's observations, however, we have gleaned some more information: its aforementioned size, and that it does seem to be oriented with its nose in front, like a normal plane. Beyond these glimpses, it's anyone's guess what else Shenlong is hiding — but at least there are dedicated amateurs tracking the mysterious orbiters sent out by the United States' biggest space competitor. **More on China:** [*China Detects Water in Samples It Collected From the Moon*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()