China has said that it tested technology for reusing a space vehicle in August, rejecting earlier claims that the country was evaluating new space capability with a hypersonic missile.
Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a routine press conference on Monday that such a test is meant to lower the cost of using a space vehicle, and it can provide more low-cost measures for the peaceful use of space.
Many companies in the world have conducted similar tests,” and after separating from the space vehicle before its return, the supporting devices will burn up when it’s falling in the atmosphere and the debris will fall into the high seas, said Zhao.
China will make joint efforts with all other countries on the peaceful use of space to benefit humanity, Zhao noted.
On Sunday, the Financial Times reported, “China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before speeding towards its target, demonstrating an advanced space capability that caught U.S. intelligence by surprise.”
The FT report said it interviewed “five people familiar with the test” who said “the Chinese military launched a rocket that carried a hypersonic glide vehicle which flew in low-orbit space before cruising towards its target,” and “the missile missed its target by about two dozen miles, according to three people briefed on the intelligence.” But two said “the test showed that China had made astounding progress in hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than U.S. officials realized.”
China successfully tested a reusable spacecraft in September 2020. The carrier rocket was the Long March-2F, the “go-to” launch vehicle for China’s manned space projects.