Chinese spacecraft returns after 276-day mission.

Mysterious Chinese spacecraft returns after 276-day journey

A mysterious Chinese spacecraft has returned to Earth after a 276-day mission, leaving many questions unanswered. According to Chinese state media Xinhua News, the “reusable experimental spacecraft” landed in Northwest China after “276 days of in-orbit operation.” The mission was described as an “important breakthrough in China’s research on reusable spacecraft technologies.”

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However, the mission has raised eyebrows elsewhere due to the spacecraft’s mysterious nature. The government has not released any photos of the craft, and information on it is minimal. The characteristics, instruments tested, and even where the craft went are all a mystery, according to Space News.

Despite the lack of information, it is known that the craft could not have exceeded eight tons due to the limitations of China’s Long March 2F rocket. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), the spacecraft’s creator, emphasized in its announcement commemorating the landing that it was a breakthrough for the “peaceful” use of space.

This was the second trip taken by the spacecraft, with the first trip lasting only about four days, according to Space News. United States Space Force tracking data revealed last year that the spacecraft released a small object during its orbit.

What we know so far:

• A mysterious Chinese spacecraft has returned to Earth after a 276-day mission
• The spacecraft is described as a “reusable experimental spacecraft”
• The mission was an “important breakthrough in China’s research on reusable spacecraft technologies”
• The government has not released any photos of the craft, and information on it is minimal
• The craft could not have exceeded eight tons due to the limitations of China’s Long March 2F rocket
• The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC) emphasized that it was a breakthrough for the “peaceful” use of space

The development may raise alarm in the U.S., which is growing increasingly concerned about China’s ambitions in space, including possible military ambitions. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson warned in January that the U.S. is entering another space race with China. Click here for more from The Washington Examiner.