Shenzhou-22 Takes Off Amid Rising Tensions in Space

On November 25, 2025, at 12:11 Beijing time, the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, as reported by China’s Manned Space Agency.

This new spacecraft replaces the Shenzhou-21, which was previously intended as a return module for the crew of China’s space station. This decision followed damage sustained by the Shenzhou-20’s return capsule from a collision with space debris. The Shenzhou-22 carries a full supply of cargo, including food reserves for the crew, equipment, and systems to continue servicing the space station. Meanwhile, the global space community has turned its eyes to the recently escalated debris management because such incidents underline ongoing threats to spacecraft safety.

In just two days, on November 27, the Russian Soyuz MS-28 will head to the International Space Station (ISS), with a NASA astronaut among its crew members, continuing the international collaboration amidst geopolitical tensions. This mission includes vital scientific equipment and is part of the ongoing effort to maintain ISS operations. Increasingly, nations are considering how to balance collaboration and competition in space, with developments like Shenzhou-22 echoing through geopolitical corridors. As space exploration intensifies, these missions mark a potentially harmonious yet fraught time for international space ventures.