China is preparing to launch the Shenzhou-22 unmanned spacecraft to the Tiangong space station. It will provide the Shenzhou-21 expedition members, who are stuck in orbit, with a means of returning home safely.
The Shenzhou-21 mission was launched on October 31. On November 4, its participants took command of the Tiangong orbital station from the Shenzhou-20 mission crew, who were due to return to Earth shortly. However, this flight was postponed due to the discovery of damage to the window of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. Most likely, it was caused by a piece of space debris.
After assessing the situation, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) concluded that the crack in the outer layer of the heat-resistant glass of the porthole could cause it to shatter. As a result, the inner layers would be exposed to high-temperature plasma during atmospheric entry, which could lead to a loss of window integrity and depressurization of the spacecraft.
Therefore, it was decided to return the Shenzhou-20 crew on their replacements’ spacecraft. They returned safely to Earth on the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft on November 14. As for the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, it remained docked to the station and, according to an official statement, will be operated as an experimental platform.
Now China needs to resolve the issues surrounding the safe return of the Shenzhou-21 crew, who are effectively stranded in orbit without a lifeboat. To do this, they’ll use the Shenzhou-22 mission spacecraft, which was originally planned to go into space around April-May 2026. It will now be launched in unmanned mode, carrying food and supplies for the astronauts, as well as equipment for the Tiangong station.
So far, the CMSA has not announced the launch date for Shenzhou-22. However, the announcement of the closure of airspace around the Jiuquan spaceport in the Gobi Desert indicates that China plans to launch it on November 25. If all goes well, the taikonauts will soon be able to return to Earth in the event of any unforeseen circumstances.
Provided by Spacenews
