China's highly secretive experimental vessel sticks its landing after completing its two-day flight in Earth's orbit.
The state-run official press agency, Xinhua News Agency, reported that the craft has landed as planned. Their report did not include official photos from the event. The spacecraft was previously launched on September 4, carried to orbit by a Long March-2F from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, in the northwestern region of China.
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An Upcoming Parallel to the Boeing X-37
Specifications regarding the mysterious craft—its size, shape, and its mission—remain unclear.
"The successful flight marked the country's important breakthrough in reusable spacecraft research and is expected to offer convenient and low-cost round trip transport for the peaceful use of the space," Xinhua News Agency reported.
However, a military source reportedly informed the South China Morning Post (SCMP) to take a look at the US X-37B. Also known as the Boeing X-37, the orbital test vehicle is the United States' reusable robotic spacecraft for its orbital flight missions.
The SCMP source also added that there were "many firsts" in this launch, including the spacecraft itself and the launching method employed, prompting additional security.
The scheduled landing of the mysterious spacecraft was also a trending topic on Weibo, the most popular social media platform on Chinese mainland. Aside from posts of pride and congratulations on the successful undertaking, other users also fueled speculations that the craft will also function like the U.S. retired Space Shuttles, CPMC also reports.
A Continuous Space Race Program
China has been active in the space race, marked by continuous launches and milestones in launch technology and space exploration. First launched in 2018, the Chang'e 4 space mission successfully made its soft landing at the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole, Aitken Basin, better known as the far side of the Moon, January last year.
Last July, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) successfully launched its trio of spacecraft, including an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. The Tianwen-1 mission aims to conduct studies on Mars, expected to arrive at the red planet sometime in February 2021.
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According to a report published in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), one of the payloads attached to the Tianwen rover is a subsurface penetrating radar (SPR). This tool is primarily designed to analyze the depth and distribution of Martian soil. Furthermore, the SPR will support the Tianwen mission of finding evidence for past and present life, map the Martian surface, and analyze its atmosphere.
Also, in July, the Communist Party of China has officially commissioned the BeiDou-3 System. The third phase of China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System includes three satellites in geostationary orbits, three in inclined geosynchronous orbits, and twenty-four in medium Earth orbits. Its last satellite was lifted into orbit by its Long March 3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan.
The spokesperson for the BeiDou system, Ran Chenqi, noted that China's conquering of core technologies, as well as its self-reliance, are the most significant achievements in this endeavor. Ran added that more than 500 key components were entirely made in China.
Check out more news and information on Chinese Space Exploration efforts in Science Times.
