The
Shenzhou 22 spacecraft enters
orbit after
China conducts its first emergency space launch to restore a
safe return option for the three astronauts aboard the
Tiangong space station following damage to the
Shenzhou 20 return capsule earlier in November. The uncrewed spacecraft, launched on a
Long March 2F rocket, carries replacement parts and supplies and aims to return the current crew to
Earth in 2026.