The U.S. military intelligence community releases an unclassified photograph depicting China’s secretive Shenlong space plane docked to another spacecraft in orbit. The image, described as taken in May 2024 and made public later, shows the space plane attached to a target vehicle, with an open payload bay and a second satellite featuring extended solar panels. The specific purpose of the docking connection is not stated.
Several outlets focus on the rarity and apparent technical detail of the released image. Others frame the photo as a reveal of a “top-secret” or “super-secret” Chinese space program element and note that the image came out via U.S. materials. Some reporting highlights that the Shenlong appearance resembles the American X-37.
While coverage largely agrees on what the photo shows—docking in orbit and visible features—the accounts differ in emphasis. Some lead with the novelty and clarity of the image, while others stress the Pentagon’s role in releasing it or the implied similarity to an existing U.S. system.
