Topic: [Discuss] Shenzhou 20 crew to space station
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-24-2025 03:25 PM
Please use this thread for comments and questions about Shenzhou 20, China's ninth crewed mission to its space station.
Neil DC Member
Posts: 213 From: Middletown, NJ, USA Registered: May 2010
posted 04-24-2025 03:26 PM
Wow. Is that their first launch to orbit and fast docking?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-24-2025 04:07 PM
I believe all of the Shenzhou flights to the Tiangong space station were made within a 6.5 to 9 hour rendezvous, and the last few flights all made it in the same time as Shenzhou 20.
denali414 Member
Posts: 926 From: Raleigh, NC Registered: Aug 2017
posted 04-26-2025 10:23 AM
Can you see the China Space station, like the ISS, passing over your house?
And if so, is there a tracking site, like "spot the station", that will tell you when overhead?
RMH Member
Posts: 620 From: Ohio Registered: Mar 2001
posted 04-26-2025 11:47 AM
You can use the heavens-above.com website to track the Tiangong space station.
SPACEFACTS Member
Posts: 420 From: Germany Registered: Aug 2006
posted 09-30-2025 04:03 AM
The Shenzhou-20 crew on China's orbiting space station completed their mission's fourth round of extravehicular activities on Friday morning (Sept. 26).
The NK forum reports at План операций на ККС - Страница 20 that the EVA began at 11:45 UTC and endet at 17:35 UTC. So the duration was 5 hours and 50 minutes.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-04-2025 08:46 PM
The Shenzhou 20 crew had been scheduled to land on Wednesday (Nov. 5), but a micrometeoroid impact to their spacecraft will require they stay on the space station longer as engineers analyze the damage.
The impact analysis and risk assessment are under way, the CMSA said.
The decision to delay the return aims to ensure the astronauts' safety and mission success, the agency said.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-11-2025 06:51 PM
There is really no information in this update, hence it being added here and not the news topic.
There are unconfirmed reports that the preparations to launch the Shenzhou 22 spacecraft are being accelerated so it can be launched without a crew. The Shenzhou 20 crew would then come home in Shenzhou 21 (and presumably the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft would either attempt an uncrewed landing or directed to an ocean disposal).
Xinhua state news agency release
Return mission for Shenzhou-20 astronauts proceeds smoothly
Work on the return mission of China's Shenzhou-20 astronaut crew is proceeding in an orderly manner as planned, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Tuesday.
After the return mission was postponed, emergency response plans and measures were immediately activated, and a comprehensive simulation analysis, testing, and safety assessment of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft were conducted to study the return implementation plan for the Shenzhou-20 crew, the CMSA said.
All systems are rigorously conducting joint tests as required, while key product status reviews and quality confirmations are carried out. Concurrently, the landing site is performing comprehensive exercises for the crew's return.
The space station combination is operating normally and has the capacity to support two crews' stay in orbit. The Shenzhou-20 crew works and lives normally onboard and is jointly conducting in-orbit scientific experiments with the Shenzhou-21 crew, the agency said.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-13-2025 08:07 AM
According to SpaceNews, airspace notices are in place for Friday morning (Nov. 14) over a region of Inner Mongolia that has been used for Shenzhou landings since 2021.
That suggests that China is planning to return the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft from Tiangong, although there has been no formal announcement yet from Chinese agencies.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-13-2025 08:44 PM
The Shenzhou 20 crew is scheduled to return to Earth on Friday (Nov. 14) aboard the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The Shenzhou 22 spacecraft will be launched at "an appropriate time in the future," CMSA officials said.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-14-2025 12:29 AM
Shenzhou 21 carrying the Shenzhou 20 cre undocked from the Tiangong space station at 0314 GMT (11:14 a.m. Beijing Time) on Friday (Nov. 14).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 55510 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 11-14-2025 06:19 AM
Shenzhouo 21 carrying the Shenzhou 20 crew landed in the Gobi desert on Friday (Nov. 14) at 3:40 a.m. EST (0840 GMT or 4:40 p.m Beijing Time).
posted 04-24-2025 03:25 PM
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