China’s Shenzhou-22 Undocks from Tiangong Station on Crew Return Mission
The China Manned Space Agency announced on May 29, 2026 that the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft had undocked from the Tiangong space station to begin its return to Earth with astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongchang. The mission is expected to conclude with a landing at the Dongfeng site in Inner Mongolia, following six months in orbit and a handover to the newly arrived Shenzhou-23 crew.
The Qatar News Agency cited the manned space agency in reporting that the Shenzhou-21 crew had wrapped up station maintenance, data transfer, supply handovers and coordination with the Shenzhou-23 crew prior to departure. Shenzhou-22 was specifically sent as the return vessel for the astronauts who had been operating the station. The launch of that spacecraft occurred on November 25, 2025 from Jiuquan. The agency reported that the undocking sequence proceeded as planned with no issues noted during separation.
According to Reuters, Shenzhou missions have sent trios of astronauts to Tiangong for six-month stays since 2021. The latest development with Shenzhou-23 involves one astronaut preparing for a year in space. This step is part of efforts to gather data ahead of more complex missions, the May 24 report from the wire service said. The news agency noted that such extended durations build on prior experience with shorter expeditions.
The China Manned Space Agency has documented more than 20 dockings to the Tiangong station by mid-2026. These include both crewed Shenzhou flights and uncrewed Tianzhou cargo ships. The station’s design allows for up to three astronauts to live and work there for extended periods, with overlapping visits ensuring continuous operations.
Xinhua reported the spacecraft undocked at 14:44 Beijing time on May 29. The return capsule later separated and landed at 20:11 the same evening. The China Manned Space Agency declared the mission a complete success following the touchdown, with ground teams reaching the capsule in a timely manner to support the crew.
In February 2026, Chinese authorities outlined plans for two additional crewed spaceflights and one cargo resupply mission, according to a post by People’s Daily citing agency officials. These activities will maintain the station’s operational tempo through the remainder of the year. The program has supported 12 crewed dockings to Tiangong through this mission, state media records show.
