China seems to be developing a small space plane similar to the U. S. Air Force's secretive X-37B, Space analysts aren't sure exactly what the X-37B is designed to do, and China watchers are even further away from understanding the Chinese craft, named Shentong.
Some see Shentong as a waste of resources trying to match the Americans, much as the Soviets wasted resources on Buran, their version of a manned space shuttle. It never flew. Others, however, say Shentong is the next step in an increasingly aggressiive manned space program. Still others point out that the Chinese space program is run by the People's Liberation Army and suggest Shentong may have military implications. Hopefully, Western intelligence has a better handle on Chinese intentions than Western academia has.
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