China is gearing up for an early launch of the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft to rescue the crew of Shenzhou-21, who have been stranded aboard the Tiangong space station. The crew found themselves without a lifeboat after an emergency mission earlier this month to rescue the crew of Shenzhou-20, which had suffered damage from space debris.
The upcoming launch of Shenzhou-22, set for 0410 UTC on November 25, is indicated by a recent airspace closure announcement. Although there has been no official confirmation from the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the early launch of Shenzhou-22 has been widely anticipated. The spacecraft will be launched with supplies but without crew, as a precautionary measure to ensure the Tiangong station has a safe lifeboat should any problems arise with the current crew.
The situation began when space debris struck the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, causing small cracks in its viewport window. Authorities deemed the spacecraft unsafe, and it remains attached to the station. The Shenzhou-21 spacecraft arrived on schedule to conduct a crew swap, sending the Shenzhou-20 crew back to Earth and leaving Shenzhou-21’s crew on the station. However, the Shenzhou-20’s damaged state left the station with six astronauts instead of the usual three, leading to concerns about strained resources.
The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft will carry supplies to the space station and will dock autonomously. Once the spacecraft docks, Shenzhou-20, deemed unsafe, will likely return to Earth autonomously. There is no word on whether the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft will also launch earlier than planned.
The original crew of Shenzhou-22 was expected to remain aboard the Tiangong station for a year-long residency experiment. However, with the Shenzhou-21 crew now staying longer than planned, the timeline has been adjusted to accommodate the emergency.
Looking ahead, China’s space program has big plans for the Tiangong space station. In 2026, the Mengzhou-1 spacecraft is set to launch, replacing the Shenzhou series as a supply vehicle for the station. The Mengzhou spacecraft is expected to begin its missions in 2026, though crewed missions won’t likely begin until 2027.
This early launch of Shenzhou-22 highlights the dynamic and ever-changing nature of space operations, especially as China continues to expand its capabilities and resources in space. The timely response to the Shenzhou-20 damage emphasizes China’s commitment to ensuring the safety and operational integrity of its space missions.
