China's Space Program Races to Rescue Three Astronauts Stranded on Tiangong Space Station
- MM24 News Desk
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
Chinese space officials have activated emergency plans to bring home three astronauts after their original return vehicle, the Shenzhou-20, was struck by orbital debris.
The crew of commander Chen Dong, operator Chen Zhongrui, and flight engineer Wang Jie will now return aboard a freshly prepared rescue spacecraft, the Shenzhou-22, in a landmark demonstration of China's orbital safety protocols.
This marks the first unscheduled mission change since China began its crewed space program in 2003, putting the nation's backup rescue system to its first real-world test. The China Manned Space Engineering (CMSE) office stated that “emergency plans and measures have been immediately activated in line with the principle of ‘life above all, safety first’”, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The situation unfolded last week when the scheduled return of the Shenzhou-20 trio was unexpectedly postponed. While the damage from the debris strike was not considered serious enough to prevent the vessel from remaining safely in orbit, the extreme stresses of atmospheric re-entry prompted mission controllers to take a more cautious approach. “But re-entry exposes the craft to extreme heat and other stresses, so the team has decided to play it safe,” one source told SCMP.
Under the new plan, the Shenzhou-20 capsule will detach from the Tiangong space station and return to Earth empty. This will clear the docking port for the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, which is currently being prepared and stocked at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert. This rescue vessel will then launch, deliver fresh supplies, and ultimately ferry the three astronauts home.
How quickly can this rescue launch happen? A backup Shenzhou spacecraft can typically be readied for launch in about eight days. However, sources indicate the process may take longer this time because the launch pad is still being reconfigured following the recent Shenzhou-21 mission, which successfully delivered a new three-person crew to the station on October 31. That new crew joined the Shenzhou-20 astronauts, who had already completed a six-month stay and were originally slated to return on November 5 after a brief handover period.
Thankfully, the situation aboard the station is stable. The CMSE has confirmed that all three stranded astronauts are “in good condition” and are “continuing their regular work and daily life on board,” including conducting joint experiments with their newly arrived colleagues. The station's life-support systems are more than capable of supporting all six astronauts for an extended period, ensuring their safety and comfort while the rescue mission is organized.
This incident highlights the critical importance of the “rolling standby” rescue system that China has maintained since 2021. For every crewed mission, a rescue spacecraft and rocket are kept on alert at Jiuquan, ready to launch at a moment's notice. “The top priority is always the astronauts’ safety,” one source emphasized. “This incident will demonstrate how effective that system is.”
While the rescue operation is a testament to China's advancing space capabilities, it has caused a ripple effect, disrupting the busy launch schedule at the Jiuquan center. Among the missions now facing a delay is LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 rocket, which aims to become the world’s second reusable rocket after SpaceX's Falcon 9.
The situation also invites comparison to recent challenges on the International Space Station (ISS), where NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded for months due to issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. In contrast, the Tiangong delay appears more manageable, with a clear and pre-established rescue procedure already in motion. The world now watches as China executes its first-ever orbital rescue, a complex maneuver that underscores the inherent risks and remarkable preparedness of human spaceflight.
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