Key Points
- China plans to launch Shenzhou 22 spacecraft on 25 November from Jiuquan.
- The mission is unmanned and meant to restore safe return capability for the Tiangong space station after damage to another vehicle.
- Launch follows an unprecedented 10-day period during which the station’s crew lacked a flight-worthy return craft.
- The mission highlights China’s drive to maintain a continuous human space station presence and rapid contingency capability.
JIUQUAN, China: China’s manned space programme is preparing for a critical launch: the unmanned Shenzhou‑22 spacecraft is scheduled to lift off on 25 November from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, state media reported. (english.news.cn)
The mission is being flown to the Tiangong space station, which until recently housed a three-person crew but had no dedicated return vehicle after the earlier-than-planned departure of Shenzhou‑21, due to damage to its sister craft Shenzhou‑20. That left the station’s crew without a flight‑worthy vehicle for about ten days—something the China Manned Space Agency described as “unprecedented,” according to Reuters.
Background
The Chinese space station Tiangong became fully operational in late 2022. Under the current mission plan, crews stay aboard for around six months before returning in their spacecraft. However, the UA incident with Shenzhou‑20’s damage forced Shenzhou‑21 to bring home two crews early, upsetting the schedule, according to The Guardian.
Unlike previous launch sequences, Shenzhou‑22 will be sent unmanned, according to state sources. That decision appears to reflect China’s choice to maintain the station’s ideal long-term crew limit of three and avoid sending another full crew until the station’s safety architecture is back in normal order, reported the The Economic Times.
The launch will use a Long March‑2F carrier rocket. China says the ground propellant loading for that rocket has already taken place, Xinhua (english.news.cn) added.
Geopolitical and Space‑Program Implications
For global observers, the mission underscores China’s commitment to a continuous orbital presence and readiness to manage in-flight anomalies without reliance on foreign rescue support. As the United States and other nations monitor China’s space‑station activities, the swift dispatch of an unmanned replacement vehicle signals a maturation of contingency procedures.
At the same time, the episode draws attention to the risks posed by orbital debris—since the Shenzhou‑20 damage is reportedly linked to a suspected micro‑debris impact—and raises questions about station‑crew safety as missions become longer and more complex, according to The Guardian.
