China's unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft has successfully reached the Tiangong space station, restoring a crucial safety measure for the crew and concluding the orbital outpost’s initial operational emergency. The Long March 2F rocket launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert at 11:11 p.m. Eastern, Nov. 24 (0411 UTC, Nov. 25), carrying Shenzhou-22. The spacecraft docked at the forward docking port of Tiangong’s Tianhe core module at 2:50 a.m. Eastern, Nov. 25 (0750 UTC), just over 3.5 hours following the launch.
The arrival of Shenzhou-22 marks the end of a 20-day emergency that began on Nov. 5. It was discovered that the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, scheduled to return its three astronauts to Earth, had sustained damage believed to be caused by space debris. The return of Shenzhou-20 was postponed when minor cracks were found in a port window, suspected to be the result of debris impact. After evaluation, the crew returned to Earth on Nov. 14 aboard the Shenzhou-21, which had brought three astronauts to Tiangong on Oct. 31.
Originally planned to deliver the next crew to Tiangong in April or May 2026, Shenzhou-22 was prepared for launch at Jiuquan as a lifeboat for the Shenzhou-21 crew. CMSEO (China’s human spaceflight agency) protocols ensure that the Shenzhou spacecraft and Long March 2F rocket for the subsequent crewed mission are nearly ready ("one launch, one on standby") at Jiuquan for emergencies on Tiangong. This rapid response validates the approach.
Zeng Yaoxiang, an engineer at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), told China Central Television (CCTV) that the usual test-to-launch cycle of over 30 days was cut to 16 to prepare the standby rocket. “The whole period from tests to launch is 16 days, which is a very short window. It requires full concentration and strict adherence to the plan, and uncompromising quality control,” Zeng said.
However, questions remain. The Shenzhou-21 crew was apparently without a lifeboat on Tiangong for 11 days, as Shenzhou-20 was considered unsafe for crew return due to the cracks in the window. There is little information available regarding the decision to return the Shenzhou-20 crew on the Shenzhou-21. Factors considered may have included the survival probability of Shenzhou-20 during reentry, the limited docking ports at Tiangong (occupied by Shenzhou-20, 21, and Tianzhou-9), and the impact of hosting six astronauts longer than the standard crew handover of 4-5 days.
There is also a readiness gap at Jiuquan. The Long March 2F rocket for Shenzhou-23, which must be prepared for a new emergency, is being assembled and tested in Beijing. No delivery date to Jiuquan has been announced.
Instead of a crew, Shenzhou-22 carried cargo. Zhang Jianli of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center told Chinese media that consumables (food, fruit, vegetables, clothing) were aboard, replenishing supplies used during the extended stay of the Shenzhou-20 crew. The spacecraft includes improvements like an enhanced human-machine interface, a smaller instrument panel, an optimized return-capsule layout, and increased down-mass capability. It also carries a device to address the cracks in Shenzhou-20’s window.
“The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will remain in orbit to conduct relevant experiments,” CMSEO stated. The Shenzhou-21 crew, including commander Zhang Lu and crewmates Zhang Hongzhang and Wu Fei, are nearly one month into their six-month mission on Tiangong and will return to Earth aboard Shenzhou-22 around April or May 2026. China aims to maintain a permanently crewed and operational Tiangong for at least a decade and plans to host international astronauts, with Pakistan being the first. They are also working on expanding the three-module outpost.