China warns US' shuttle-like craft could be used as 'space killer'

Chinese scientists have raised concerns about the U.S. military’s secretive X-37B space plane, warning it could be weaponized as a "space killer" and potentially used to maintain American space supremacy. The uncrewed, autonomous Boeing-designed craft, now on its eighth mission, has demonstrated advanced capabilities through multiple successful flights, covering over 1.3 billion miles and conducting various technology tests. Researchers from China’s Space Engineering University highlight that the X-37B’s dynamic and intelligent systems, enhanced by technologies like artificial intelligence and nuclear thermal propulsion, could integrate into the U.S. military’s Prompt Global Strike system, escalating space security risks and intensifying international competition. In response, China is advancing its own space capabilities with the reusable robotic Shenlong craft, which recently completed its third orbital test after 268 days in space. The Shenlong is suspected of signaling Earth while flying over North America in 2023, underscoring Beijing’s efforts to extend military reach into space and develop