Once again our colleagues active in using techniques inherent to the Amateur-Satellite Service for monitoring have illustrated a role in verifying, making transparent and analyzing important news. Scott VE7TIL (aka VA7TL) is a widely recognized amateur astronomer and radio amateur interested in hunting down mysterious astronomical radio signals or thought to be missing / decommissioned sats. Daniel EA4GPZ also is a seasoned collaborator in such activities. This time their revelation is eerily remincent of radio amateurs alerting authorities on the first Sputnik, and perhaps should be equally disturbing. Hope you appreciate the information. 73, John, WØPV Chinese Spaceplane Trailed By Six Mysterious Objects Transmitting Repeating Pattern Several of the objects are emitting signals, though what China is testing is unclear. IFLScience by JAMES FELTON On December 14, China launched an experimental and reusable spaceplane into low Earth orbit, the spaceship's third trip into space. China is keeping quiet about the purpose of the spaceplane, however, four days into the mission amateur astronomer and satellite tracker Scott Tilley @VE7TIL noticed that trailing behind the craft were six "mysterious wingmen", several of which appear to be emitting signals. "The test spacecraft will operate in orbit for a period of time and then return to a scheduled landing site in China," Chinese state media outlet Xinhua reported. "During this period, reusable technology verification and space science experiments will be carried out as planned to provide technical support for the peaceful use of space." The objects, which are being tracked by several organizations, are emitting different kinds of data. "OBJECT A's or nearby emission is reminiscent of earlier Chinese space plane 'wingman' emissions in the sense the signal is modulated with a limited amount of data," Tilley told Space.com, adding that objects labeled D and E look like they're broadcasting placeholder signals, sending no useful data. Analyzing the data from Object A, amateur radio operator Daniel Estévez @EA4GPZ found small variations in the transmission, but not much else. "One thing is clear," he wrote on his website. "The signal doesn’t have much data in it, as most of the bits show the same repeating pattern." It remains unclear the purpose of the additional satellites, or what China is testing.
a bit more here Chinese spaceplane being followed by six mysterious objects transmitting repeating signal (unilad.com) "It's said to be the third time that China's secretive spaceplane has released objects in orbit over its three missions. Shenlong has been launched three times in three years." and "What the signals contain remains unclear, but Tilley says that the mysterious objects seem to the strongest signals while passing over North America. This could indicate a clandestine ground station on the west coast of North America or on a ship off the coast." and China's Mysterious Robotic Spacecraft Tailed by 6 Unidentified Objects : ScienceAlert "Though conceding satellite trackers may have missed signals in previous missions if they, too, were brief blips, Tilley is confident there is something a little different about this mission. "Something we should watch for is close encounters between OBJECT A and OBJECTs D and E. D and E are in fairly elliptical orbits while A is in a near circular orbit," he told Tingley." It has now been revealed that the earlier 'spy balloon' talked back to China via a US internet provider does make one wonder. (U.S. intelligence officials determined the Chinese spy balloon used a U.S. internet provider to communicate (nbcnews.com)) is there a ground station in the West coast? While amateur astronomers around the world share their theories on what China's mysterious space plane might be up to, the US is no doubt quietly watching on with its own vested interests.
