The Shenzhou-22 spaceship was on Tuesday launched at 12.11pm and is on its way to the Tiangong space station, marking the first emergency launch mission in the nation's manned space programme.

Blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Shenzhou 22 is expected to be the spacecraft that brings the crew of the Shenzhou 21 mission back to Earth when their mission ends later next year.

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) declared the launch mission a complete success, Xinhua News Agency reported.

It comes after the crew of the Shenzhou 20 mission – whose spacecraft experienced a suspected impact from space debris – landed safely back on Earth earlier this month using the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft.

The Shenzhou 20 astronauts had to stay aboard Tiangong an extra nine days with the newly arrived Shenzhou-21 crew.

The CMSA had said the Shenzhou-21 astronauts are working normally and in good condition in orbit.

China's quick response to the emergency contrasts with that of the United States, which had to deal with two Nasa astronauts getting stuck aboard the International Space Station for nine months due to issues with the propulsion system of the vessel that carried them. (Additional reporting by Reuters)
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Last updated: 2025-11-25 HKT 14:34