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3h ago

China Launches Uncrewed Shenzhou 22 to Restore Tiangong Crew’s Ride Home

The accelerated flight follows window damage blamed on small debris that derailed the planned crew rotation.

Das Raumschiff Shenzhou 22 startete vom Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center im Nordwesten Chinas.
Nachdem Weltraumschrott eine vorige Kapsel beschädigt und drei Taikonauten an Bord der Raumstation Tiangong damit zeitweise ohne Rückflugmöglichkeit zurückgelassen hatte, hat China eine unbemannte Raumkapsel als Ersatz losgeschickt.
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Overview

  • Shenzhou 22 lifted off from Jiuquan on a Long March 2F around midday local time, carrying supplies and spare parts for the station.
  • The spacecraft is expected to dock with Tiangong, where the Shenzhou 21 crew—Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang—await a replacement return capsule.
  • The launch reestablishes an Earth-return option for the trio, who began their six-month mission in early November but temporarily had no usable capsule.
  • Shenzhou 20 remains docked after cracks were found in a window, with officials keeping it in orbit for further tests as repair parts arrive on Shenzhou 22.
  • Chinese authorities describe this as the first incident of its kind for Tiangong, underscoring wider concerns over space debris hazards in low Earth orbit.