China launches unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft
China on Tuesday successfully launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, state-run Xinhua reported. The launch took place at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country’s northwest.
Shenzhou-22 will dock with China’s Tiangong space station, where three astronauts remain on board conducting ongoing space experiments and exploration tasks.
The launch follows the delayed return of the Shenzhou-21 crewed mission, which brought three astronauts back to Earth last week—nine days later than planned—after their spacecraft was struck by suspected space debris.
On November 5, the China Manned Space Agency said the crew could not safely return due to a likely impact from tiny orbital debris on the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, prompting the mission to remain in orbit longer than expected.
Shenzhou-21 marked China’s sixth crewed mission and carried three astronauts—known as taikonauts—including the nation’s youngest astronaut to date, along with four mice used for scientific experiments. The mice returned to Earth with the Shenzhou-20 crew last week.
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