Long-Endurance Spaceplane Makes China 'Significant Player'

A Chinese unmanned spaceplane that recently returned to Earth after 276 days in orbit should keep military officials “up at night,” experts say, noting that the flight appears to demonstrate Beijing’s consistent capacity to match or exceed U.S. technology —  and the vehicle’s capability to potentially inflict damage on “vulnerable” American satellites.

While details about the spaceplane are spotty and the trip’s duration pales to the record 908 days that the U.S. Space Force’s similar X-37B reusable spaceplane spent in orbit before returning last year, the feat still marks a major milestone for Beijing’s rapidly improving space program.