China launched the Shenzhou-22 spaceship from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Tuesday, marking the first emergency launch mission in the country’s manned space program.

China launched the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Tuesday, marking the first emergency launch mission in the nation’s manned space program.

Beijing’s space agency announced that three Chinese astronauts will return to Earth on Friday, following a delay caused when their spacecraft was struck by debris in orbit.

China's Shenzhou-20 astronaut crew return mission is advancing as planned, with all operations proceeding in an orderly fashion, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed on Tuesday.