China launches emergency spacecraft to Tiangong space station.

(CLO) China successfully launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft to the Tiangong space station at noon on November 25th, in a special mission to replace a damaged spacecraft returning to Earth.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, carrying 600 kg of supplies including food and equipment, was launched at 12:11 local time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China. The spacecraft is expected to automatically dock with the Tiangong space station.

The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft was launched on November 25. Photo: CCTV

This mission was carried out after engineers discovered small cracks in the windows of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, the vehicle scheduled to bring three astronauts back to Earth on November 14th. The initial cause was determined to be a possible collision with space debris.

Due to safety concerns regarding the return journey, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will remain in orbit for research purposes. Meanwhile, the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, which successfully completed its mission of bringing the crew back safely, will be replaced by the newly launched Shenzhou-22 spacecraft.

This incident poses a challenge for the current crew on the Tiangong space station, which is scheduled to return to Earth around April 2025. However, the China Manned Space Administration insists that the astronauts on the station "are working normally and are in good health."

Source: https://congluan.vn/trung-quoc-phong-tau-vu-tru-khan-cap-len-tram-thien-cung-10319159.html