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China’s Shenlong space plane released an unknown object while in orbit during its fourth mission on February 6, 2026. The launch took place from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center atop a Long March 2F rocket. The purpose of the mission was undisclosed to the public, but recent observations by LeoLabs suggest the involvement of the mystery object. LeoLabs detected the object near Shenlong and confirmed it was released from the space plane. This activity aligns with past sub-satellite deployments by the Shenlong space plane. Shenlong, also known as the “Divine Dragon,” is a reusable space plane that launches like a…
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