China's Secret Spaceplane Launch Rattles US and SpaceX

China has launched its reusable space plane, Shenlong, for the third time, just seven months after its last mission. The spacecraft's purpose is to conduct space science experiments and provide technical support for the peaceful use of space. The close timing of China's space plane launch and the delay of the US Space Force's X-37B launch suggests that both countries are interested in each other's space planes. Little is known about Shenlong, but it is believed to be used for testing new payloads and orbital operations.