Beijing 5 Aug : China has launched an unclassified reusable vehicle on an unidentified mission to low-Earth orbit media reports claimed.The Long March 2F rocket that carried an “test spacecraft” was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert on Friday the state-run China’s Xinhua news agency reported.
“The test spacecraft will remain in orbit for a certain amount of some time prior to returning to its scheduled landing area in China where reuse and in-orbit service technology testing will be carried out in accordance with the plan to provide technical assistance to ensure the safe use of space.” Xinhua news agency said.
The test of the craft includes “technical confirmation of the on-orbit and reusable services that are planned to provide technical assistance to ensure peaceful utilization of space”.
According to an SpaceNews report, the mysterious vehicle is believed to be a robot space plane, possibly similar to the Space Force’s X-37B that is based on the Long March 2F’s enormous payload capacity.
In September of 2020, China had launched a spacecraft that was reusable in the same way.It remained in orbit for two days before releasing an unspecified payload in orbit before descending to make a landing in China, SpaceNews noted.
A “white paper” published by China’s State Council Information Office in January this year said that China would “continue to enhance research into the key technologies needed for reusable space transportation systems and will conduct tests in line with the findings.”
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