China readies Shenzhou-22 mission ahead of schedule after spacecraft damage
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Shenzhou-20 commander Chen Dong (centre) back on Earth on Nov 14 after the spacecraft was hit by suspected space debris, forcing a delayed return on a different craft.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
- China is launching Shenzhou-22 early, unmanned, to its Tiangong space station to ensure astronaut safety after Shenzhou-20's damage.
- Shenzhou-22 will deliver supplies, enabling the Shenzhou-21 crew to return to Earth in April 2026 after their mission.
- The damaged Shenzhou-20, possibly hit by space debris, may be deorbited; its fate is yet to be officially announced.
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BEIJING – China has begun preparations to send a Shenzhou spacecraft to its permanently inhabited space station ahead of schedule, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Nov 15.
Shenzhou-22 is being sent without anyone on board to the Tiangong space station six months ahead of its planned launch, to put China’s manned space programme back on track.
The Shenzhou missions have run like clockwork since 2021 until 10 days ago, when Shenzhou-20 was damaged
On Nov 14, the Shenzhou-20 crew boarded the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft and returned to Earth, leaving the newly arrived trio of astronauts without a vessel that could take them home in the event of an emergency.
Shenzhou-22 is being sent ahead of schedule to plug this security risk and allow the Shenzhou-21 crew to return to Earth around April 2026, once they complete their half-year shift.
“Preparations for the Shenzhou-22 mission have commenced. The spacecraft will carry a full cargo load, including astronaut provisions and equipment for the space station,” CCTV reported.
Tiangong has a maximum capacity of six crew, but this can be only temporarily sustained as the facility is designed to host three astronauts for six months.
China has not yet announced what will happen to the damaged Shenzhou-20, which is suspected to have been hit by space debris, slightly cracking the window of the its return capsule.
Experts have suggested the vessel could be undocked from Tiangong and de-orbited over the Pacific Ocean. REUTERS
