China launched an unknown object into orbit

It has been reported that the Chinese have launched an unknown object into orbit, according to LeoLabs.

The company monitors space. It is known that the Chinese reusable spaceplane launched an unknown object into orbit during its fourth mission.

The Shenlong spaceplane itself was launched into low Earth orbit on February 7th aboard a Long March 2F rocket, which launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.

On June 22nd, LeoLabs reported on the social media platform X that its specialists had detected “an unknown object in the immediate vicinity of the Chinese reusable Shenlong spaceplane.”

The initial detection was made using the Kiwi Space Radar, located in New Zealand. According to the company, the object did not match any known space objects in its catalog.

After additional observations through the global radar network and analysis using the LeoLabs Delta system, the company’s specialists concluded with a high degree of confidence that the object was separated from the Chinese spaceplane.

The appearance of the new object is consistent with the previously observed flight pattern of the Chinese spaceplane.

During its second and third missions, the spacecraft also released small satellites. There is currently no information on the purpose of the new object.

After this, the main spacecraft presumably performed rendezvous and close-range maneuvers with the satellites.

It was previously reported that Chinese specialists demonstrated a new rocket engine in action. This engine defies all laws of physics and allows the rocket to turn 180 degrees in mid-air.