China sends Shenlong spaceplane on its fourth orbital mission

China has advanced its development of reusable orbital spacecraft with the launch of its fourth experimental spaceplane mission since 2020. The vehicle, commonly referred to as Shenlong ("Divine Dragon") by space enthusiasts due to official secrecy, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre aboard a Long March-2F rocket. Chinese authorities describe the mission as a technology verification effort aimed at improving reusable spacecraft systems for peaceful space applications, though details remain limited. Previous Shenlong missions have demonstrated increasing capabilities, including long-duration flights of up to 276 and 268 days, highlighting progress in thermal protection and power systems. Independent US tracking networks have observed signals from the Shenlong spacecraft over North America during its third mission, suggesting potential dual-use military functions such as signals intelligence, despite China's civilian framing. While China’s program is rapidly maturing, the US maintains a lead in reusable orbital spaceplanes with its X-37B, which recently began its eighth mission. The X-37B has incorporated advanced