Chinese spacecraft returns to Earth after 276 day mystery mission
Space is full of mysteries which we will never likely solve but, generally, we at least know a thing or two about craft we send out into the cosmos. Not so, when it comes to one probe which has just touched back down on Earth after 276 days in orbit. The experimental spacecraft was launched by China’s space agency, ostensibly to test the nation’s reusable space technologies. According to state media agency Xinhua News, the mission’s aim was to help with the development of “more convenient and affordable round-trip methods for the peaceful use of space in the future”. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter That all sounds pretty similar to what SpaceX and NASA are up to, except that the Chinese spacecraft and its journey have been shrouded in secrecy. No information has been released on the altitude it reached or the systems it tested. We don’t even know where it went or, indeed, what kind of spacecraft it was – not a single image has been released to the public. Commentators on Chinese social media have speculated that Beijing has been developing a spacecraft like the UAir Force's X-37B, an autonomous spaceplane that can remain in orbit for years. However, no one knows how well this is going nor, indeed, if it’s going at all. All we do know about China’s latest unidentified flying object is that it was launched from the Jiquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert on August 5, 2022 and returned to the same site on 8 May, 2023. It follows an earlier mission, carried out in July last year, which saw a Chinese spacecraft fly to the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere and back on the same day. The country’s main space contractor, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), hailed the success of the craft’s brief celestial jaunt at the time. It gushed: "The development of reusable space transportation technology is an important symbol of China's transition from a 'big' space-faring nation to a 'powerful' space-faring one.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-05-10 20:52
Inside White House meeting on debt ceiling: Intractable positions and no new ground
In a lengthy meeting at the White House Tuesday, leaders struggled to break any new ground on debt ceiling negotiations with a source familiar telling CNN that leaders repeated over and over again the same positions privately that have become a common refrain in public.
2023-05-10 20:29
Kaliningrad: Russia fury as Poland body recommends renaming exclave
A Polish state body says dropping the "imposed name" is partly a result of Russia invading Ukraine.
2023-05-10 20:28
Chocolate Maker Delays Target Date to Sell 100% Sustainable Cocoa
Chocolate maker Barry Callebaut AG delayed its date for selling 100% sustainably sourced cocoa as part of a
2023-05-10 20:22
Gaza militants fire rockets after new Israeli air strikes
Palestinian militants fire barrages into Israel after it targets Islamic Jihad rocket launchers.
2023-05-10 20:16
What do we know about drone attacks in Russia?
Russia accuses Ukraine of trying to kill President Putin in a drone attack, which Ukraine denies.
2023-05-10 19:49
Tabloid apologises to Prince Harry at start of phone-hacking trial
By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) -The publisher of a British tabloid has apologised to Prince Harry for unlawfully seeking information
2023-05-10 19:46
Pakistan on edge as ex-PM Imran Khan charged with corruption
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan has appeared in court to answer corruption charges, a day after he was dramatically arrested by paramilitary troops, sparking deadly clashes.
2023-05-10 19:45
Israel keeps up pressure on Islamic Jihad with second day of deadly airstrikes in Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces targeted what they called Islamic Jihad terrorist organization operatives and infrastructure in Gaza on Wednesday, a day after Israeli military airstrikes killed three leaders of the Palestinian militant group and 10 other Palestinian men, women and children along the strip.
2023-05-10 19:20
5 things to know for May 10: Trump, Title 42, George Santos, Pakistan, Debt limit
CNN's 5 Things brings you the news you need to know every morning.
2023-05-10 18:55
Exclusive-Chevron aims to boost Venezuela oil output to accelerate debt recovery -sources
By Marianna Parraga and Deisy Buitrago HOUSTON/CARACAS Chevron Corp's renewed oil operations in Venezuela begin a new phase
2023-05-10 18:22
Ukraine Latest: Kyiv Well Supplied for Counteroffensive, US Says
Ukrainian forces have the weapons, the training and the “right plans” ahead of an expected counteroffensive, US Secretary
2023-05-10 17:54