China Launches Secretive Space Plane Shenlong for Third Time

The launch occurred hours after the U.S. postponed its own secret space plane launch, intensifying the space rivalry between the two nations.

China has successfully launched its secretive space plane, Shenlong, for the third time, with the mission remaining undisclosed.
The launch occurred just hours after the U.S. Space Force postponed the launch of its own secret space plane, the X-37B, due to weather and technical issues.
Both the Chinese Shenlong and the U.S. X-37B are highly monitored due to the mystery surrounding their missions and capabilities.
China's Shenlong completed its last mission in August 2022, returning to Earth after 276 days in orbit during which it released an unknown object.
The development of reusable spacecraft like Shenlong and X-37B is seen as critical for increasing the frequency and reducing the costs of space missions.