China postponed the crew change of TianGong for a month after discovering a crack in the viewport.

The Chinese space station “Tiangong” extends the crew’s stay

Earlier this week Chinese media announced that the current crew of the Tiangong station intends to remain in orbit for roughly one month longer than originally planned. The decision was made after a comprehensive analysis and assessment of the laboratory’s capabilities.

Why the extension?

* Return vehicle issues – when attempting to return to Earth, the previous crew encountered a defect in one of the “Shenzhou‑20” spacecraft’s portholes. The crack likely resulted from micrometeoroid or space debris impact.

* Safety – due to this defect the ship was deemed unsafe for a crew return.

How the situation was handled

1. Transporting a spare vehicle

* The reserve “Shenzhou‑22” was launched in unmanned mode with 600 kg of unplanned supplies (food, consumables).

2. Crew relocation

* The “Shenzhou‑20” crew returned to Earth aboard the replacement ship – “Shenzhou‑21”.
* In its place a spare spacecraft, “Shenzhou‑22”, was sent to the station.

3. Extending the stay

* Additional supplies allowed the crew rotation to be delayed and enabled longer orbital expeditions.

Current situation

* Station crew: commander Zhang Lu, flight engineer Wu Fei, and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang.
* Arrival at the station – November 1, 2025 aboard “Shenzhou‑21”.
* Planned return – in six months, but now postponed to May, extending the stay by about one month.

Thus, the mission extension not only resolves the damaged spacecraft issue but also allows for longer research in the Tiangong orbital laboratory.