• Forum
• SITREP
• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security

• Space

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Public Eye

China successfully completes 1st emergency launch to country's space station

Global Times

Uncrewed Shenzhou-22 loaded with food supplies, equipment for window crack

By Fan Anqi Published: Nov 25, 2025 11:37 PM

The uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, China's first emergency launch in the history of its manned space program, docked with China's Tiangong space station on Tuesday, some three hours and 40 minutes after liftoff, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The mission came after an unexpected incident occurred to Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, which was struck by space debris, disrupting its planned return.

China immediately activated emergency plans after the incident. Within 20 days, a series of maneuvers were accomplished including the launch of the Shenzhou-22 backup vehicle, presenting a "textbook model" for the international space community in effectively responding to unexpected emergencies.

China launched the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft at 12:11 pm on Tuesday from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. A few minutes after liftoff, the CMSA announced the spacecraft had successfully separated from its launch vehicle, a Long March rocket, and entered its planned orbit, marking a complete success for the launch mission.

At 3:50 pm on Tuesday, the spacecraft smoothly entered orbit and docked with the forward port of the Tianhe core module of China's space station, the agency said.

Following the completion of rendezvous and docking, Shenzhou-22 will transition to the orbital module berthing phase and serve as the return vehicle for the Shenzhou-21 crew in subsequent missions.

Previously, on November 14, the delayed Shenzhou-20 crew returned safely to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 manned spacecraft.

Currently, the Shenzhou-21 crew in orbit is in good condition and conducting its scheduled tasks as planned. The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will remain in orbit to carry out relevant experiments, per the CMSA.

In a statement sent to the Global Times by the agency on Tuesday, manned mission headquarters promptly activated emergency plans after the November 5 incident. Within 20 days, steady and efficient progress was made in various sectors including risk analysis, personnel and material mobilization, crew transfer and return, and emergency spacecraft launch.

"This has provided a successful model for the international space community in effectively responding to unexpected incidents," the CMSA said in the statement.

The success of this mission fully demonstrates the people-centered and safety-first principle of China's manned space program, and comprehensively verifies the reliability of the "launch-one, standby-one, rolling backup" strategy for China's space station missions, per the statement.

The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft's launch was uncrewed. However, this does not mean that it was empty, as it was loaded with food supplies, space medicine, fresh fruits and vegetables, disposal equipment to deal with the window crack on the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, as well as spare parts required by the space station.

According to media reports, the food supply includes snacks, beverages, health supplements, condiments, as well as chicken wings, steak, cakes and fresh produce.

Zhang Jianli, a member of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, told media on Tuesday that the supplies are mainly daily necessities. As the rotation period between the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 crews was relatively long, they may have consumed some of the fresh items originally brought up for the Shenzhou-21 crew. Therefore, the ground team took this opportunity to replenish them. "We have also allocated a small amount of resources to accommodate individual needs," Zhang said, CCTV News reported.

As for what new space mission will the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft undertake after the incident, Zheng Wei from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said that as the in-orbit crew cannot remove the cracked window due to safety concerns but only repair it from the inside, it is not 100 percent safe to use it for manned return. However, it can still be utilized for cargo return.

"During this mission, we have also uploaded reinforcement equipment to further ensure safety. We are quite confident in achieving a safe cargo return," Zheng said.

As China's first emergency launch, the Shenzhou-22 launch mission highlighted several key features: first, despite being an unmanned mission, it was fully equipped with an escape tower and maintained a manned-ready status at all times. Additionally, the launch process, which normally takes over 30 days, was compressed into just 16 days with countless supporting personnel racing against time, CCTV News reported.

The mission manifested the principle of "launch one, stand by one" and that "it is better to be prepared and not need it than to need it and not be prepared," reflecting a responsible major country's supreme respect for life.

As the first spacecraft of the new batch, the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft has undergone multiple technological upgrades, achieving comprehensive improvements in functions and performance. For example, upgrades to the instrument system have enhanced the industrial design of human-machine interaction and the miniaturization of the instrument panel and optimized layout of the return capsule have significantly boosted the downward cargo capacity, CCTV reported.

Setting a "textbook model" for world space powers in handling space emergencies, this incident has also yielded a crucial insight - the importance of unified docking ports in international space emergency rescue operations, Song Zhongping, a Chinese aerospace expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The expert called for port standards between the Chinese and the International Space Station to be aligned, noting that it would not only facilitate future international rescue operations but also make the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind of more profound practical significance.