China Executes First Emergency Lifeboat Mission: Uncrewed Shenzhou-22 Docks with Tiangong Space Station to Secure Crew Return

Beijing, Nov. 25, 2025 — The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announces that the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft was successfully launched at 12:11 p.m. Beijing Time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March-2F Y22 rocket. 

Approximately 10 minutes after lift-off, the spacecraft separated from its launch vehicle and entered its planned orbit — the CMSA declared the launch mission a complete success. 

At 3:50 p.m. Beijing Time, Shenzhou-22 docked autonomously with the forward port of the core module (Tianhe) of the country’s space station, marking a successful rendezvous and docking.

Shenzhou-22 carries cargo that includes space food, medical supplies, fresh fruit and vegetables, spare parts, and equipment intended to repair the cracked window of the Shenzhou-20 return capsule — a damage that rendered the latter unfit for crewed return. 

The launch follows the return to Earth of the crew of Shenzhou‑20 on Nov. 14 aboard Shenzhou‑21 — after CMSA evaluated that Shenzhou-20’s return capsule no longer met safety standards.

CMSA says the rapid execution of this emergency mission — from contingency activation to launch — provides a “world-class example of managing an in-orbit emergency,” demonstrating the effectiveness of its “launch-one, standby-one” contingency strategy. 

Shenzhou-22 will serve as the return vehicle for the current crew aboard the space station (from Shenzhou-21) at the end of their mission. 

Source : China Manned Space Agency (CMSA)