Nov. 25 (UPI) -- China's uncrewed Shenzhou-22 space vessel arrived at the Tiangong space station on Tuesday morning, avoiding the potential stranding of three Chinese astronauts on the orbiting space outpost.
The Chinese space agency launched the vessel on Tuesday after space debris rendered one of two Shenzhou capsules docked at Tiangong unsafe, triggering an emergency launch to replace the craft.
Officials in the Chinese space program said the mission's success in replacing its astronauts' lifeboat demonstrated the advantages of its "one-for-one, rolling backup" strategy, calling it an effective test of the program's rapid response and ability to handle emergencies.
"The entire project team responded calmly and scientifically, with all participating research and testing units working together to overcome difficulties," officials at China Manned Space said in a statement.
Related
