China will launch an empty spacecraft to the Tiangong space station overnight tonight (Nov. 24), to provide a lifeboat for its 3 stranded astronauts currently living and working aboard.
A Long March 2F/G rocket is scheduled to launch the Shenzhou 22 spacecraft today, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in China's Gobi Desert. Liftoff is scheduled during a 30-minute launch window that begins at 11:11 p.m. EST (0411 GMT, Nov. 25; 11:11 a.m. Beijing Time).
Chinese state media channels confirmed the launch online, and indicated that propellant loading for the rocket was completed early Friday morning. The Shenzhou 22 mission patch was also revealed Monday, with images of the Long March 2F rocket and Shenzhou spacecraft rising from China's Great Wall to the Tiangong space station in the stars - symbols that showcase, "a sense of 'ready to launch' and a steadfast belief in 'mission accomplished,'" according to China Manned Space.
The three astronauts aboard Tiangong currently have no way of departing the station, either in an emergency or at the end of their crew rotation. The spacecraft that ferried the Shenzhou 21 crew to space was repurposed to return their predecessors, Shenzhou 20 astronauts, after the Shenzhou 20 return vehicle was struck by space debris. Now, Shenzhou 21 Taikonauts Zhang Lu, Zhang Hongzhang and Wu Fei are stuck in orbit until a new vessel arrives.
The three astronauts began their stint aboard Tiangong after a successful launch Oct. 31. Their arrival kicked off departure procedures for the Shenzhou 20 crew, who had been scheduled to return to Earth Nov. 5. Just before their departure, however, the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft was struck with debris.
Out of an abundance of caution, Chinese officials made the decision to return the Shenzhou 20 crew aboard the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft that had just arrived. The astronauts successfully landed Nov. 14, and the Shenzhou 21 crew has now gone without a ride home for the past 10 days.
The Shenzhou 20 spacecraft still remains docked with Tiangong, but it will either need to be repaired and returned to Earth or abandoned on orbit to free up the docking port before the Shenzhou 23 mission arrives to relieve the station's current crew.
With the launch and subsequent arrival of the empty Shenzhou 22 spacecraft, Shenzhou 21 astronauts aboard Tiangong are expected to serve through the remainder of their crew rotation, and be relieved by Shenzhou 23 sometime in April 2026.
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