Will the Shenzhou-20 Taikonauts Return With Their Spacecraft?
Three spacefarers are yet to return as the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft and rocket prepares for flight.
Six days ago, the China Manned Space Agency announced that the Shenzhou-20 mission, with Commander Chen Dong (陈冬), Operator Chen Zhongrui (陈中瑞), and Science Operator Wang Jie (王杰), would not return to Earth as planned on November 5th following a suspected space debris impact on spacecraft. Earlier today, November 11th, the agency provided another update:
“Following the postponement of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft return mission, the project team, adhering to the principles of ‘life first, safety first,’ immediately activated emergency plans and measures. They organized comprehensive simulation analysis, testing, and safety assessments of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, studied the return implementation plan for the Shenzhou-20 astronaut crew, and ensured that all systems strictly followed procedures for testing and joint debugging. Critical product status evaluations and quality confirmations were organized. The landing site is currently conducting comprehensive return drills for the Shenzhou-20 crew. All tasks are progressing steadily and orderly according to schedule.”
“Currently, the space station complex is operating normally and possesses the capability to support two astronaut crews in orbit. The Shenzhou-20 crew is working and living normally, conducting in-orbit scientific experiments together with the Shenzhou-21 crew.”
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Xinhua’s Chinese and English language coverage mirrored the space agency’s statement.
Reading into the statement, it seems that the Shenzhou-20 crew will return to Earth in the near future, on board their spacecraft, aligning with murmurs in recent days. Investigations and assessments of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft have been ongoing since November 5th, with the conclusion yet to be publicized.
The China Manned Space Agency also noted that the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 crews are working well together, with the Tiangong Space Station’s systems able to support both of them, along with supplies delivered by Tianzhou-9 and Shenzhou-21.
When the Shenzhou-20 mission will return to Earth is unknown and was not stated. At the moment, there are currently no notices for launches out of Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center after CAS Space’s Kinetica-1 and Galactic Energy’s Ceres-1 flew earlier in the week, clearing activity at the site. Similarly, there is no notice for Shenzhou-20’s return, but recovery teams are still conducting rehearsals.
On Earth at Jiuquan, teams have been conducting standard preparations for the Shenzhou-22 mission, currently set for April 2026. That includes preparing to roll back Shenzhou-21’s launch platform for Shenzhou-23 and moving the spacecraft-less Long March 2F/G Y22 vehicle between vehicle preparation bays for Shenzhou-22, with its spacecraft in a neighbouring building.
If needed, the Long March 2F/G Y22 vehicle and Shenzhou-22 spacecraft can be used as a replacement and rescue ship for Shenzhou-20, being prepared for launch in as little as 8.5 days and arrive at Tiangong between 3.5 and 7 hours after liftoff, although that seems unlikely now with the space agency’s recent statement.
