The Chinese authorities reported that their device flew to the edge of the atmosphere and returned to Earth within one day. However, they do not publish the name of the device and its photographs.
The Chinese spacecraft, which can fly to the edge of the atmosphere, took off and returned to Earth in one day. As noted by the Chinese authorities, this is a big step for the development of technology for reusable space transportation.
The craft took off from a launch site in northwest China on Friday and completed the flight in accordance with “established procedures,” said the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporate Center (CASC), the country’s top space contractor. He then landed horizontally on Earth.
A spacecraft capable of flying in suborbital space is capable of ascending up to 100 km above the Earth’s surface. CASC did not report to what altitude the spacecraft climbed, and did not specify its flight trajectory. Photos of the spacecraft and the flight have not been published.
The development of reusable space transport technology is a sign of China’s transition from a “big” space power to a “powerful” space power, – noted in the CASC. Reusable spacecraft will increase the frequency of flights and reduce the cost of missions due to the possibility of their repeated use.
In September last year, China sent an experimental spacecraft on a rocket. The device returned to Earth after two days in orbit.
