Overview
- State media said the spacecraft lifted off February 7 from Jiuquan on a Long March 2F T variant, releasing no images, timing, orbital parameters, or mission duration.
- U.S. Space Force cataloging is expected to disclose the orbit as independent trackers look for any released objects and potential rendezvous or proximity operations.
- Earlier flights in 2020, 2022, and 2023–24 released small objects, with the second and third appearing to conduct close-proximity maneuvers and the third emitting radio signals detected over North America, according to outside observers.
- The vehicle is developed by CASC, whose program has national funding and longer-term plans for a fully reusable two-stage-to-orbit system alongside prior tests of a reusable suborbital first stage.
- Use of the Long March 2F, which can loft just over eight metric tons to low Earth orbit, suggests a spacecraft in a class comparable to the U.S. X-37B as China keeps technical details tightly held.