On November 25, China launched a spacecraft in an emergency for the first time to address safety risks at the Tianyung space station, where the three astronauts are working but there are no more ships capable of sending them back to Earth.
The Than Chau 22 unmanned ship was launched into orbit by the Truong Chinh 2F rocket from the Jiuzhaigou launch center. The Chinack manned space agency (CMSA) confirmed that the spacecraft had separated from the rocket and entered the expected orbit, marking the complete success of the mission.
The incident took place after the Than Chau 20 ship, which was used to bring the three astronauts home, was discovered cracked in the cabin window and returned, suspected to have collided with debris from space. This forced China to mobilize the Than Chau 21, which had just arrived at the station at the end of October, as a replacement, leaving the Tianyung station without backup ships. The appearance of Than Chau 22 helps eliminate this risk.
According to CMSA, Than Chau 22 brought spare components for Thien Cung station, equipment to repair cracks on the Than Chau 20 ship anchored at the station, along with fresh fruits and vegetables. After arriving, Than Chau 22 will keep the station until around April 2026 to bring the Than Chau 21 flight crew back to Earth.
