China launches uncrewed Shenzhou-22 to replace the cracked Shenzhou-20 lifeboat at Tiangong

China Manned Space Agency/Shenzhou

China launched Shenzhou-22 without a crew from Jiuquan and docked it to Tiangong about 3.5 hours later. Tiny cracks, blamed on a suspected debris strike, had been found in Shenzhou-20's window on November 4, and its crew came home in the newer Shenzhou-21 capsule, leaving the Shenzhou-21 crew with no safe way home. Shenzhou-22 had been meant to fly the next crew in spring 2026.

• Launched 12:11 pm Beijing time on November 25, 2025, on a Long March 2F.
• The Shenzhou-20 crew returned on November 14 in the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft.
• Shenzhou-22 also carried supplies and equipment for dealing with the cracked window.
• Russia faced a similar case in 2022-23, sending Soyuz MS-23 uncrewed to replace a leaking MS-22.