T-Minus Space Daily A pivotal week in spaceflight.
Nov 25, 2025
In this insightful conversation, Greg Gillinger, Senior VP for Strategy & Development at Integrity ISR, shares his expert analysis on recent space developments. He discusses China's recent uncrewed Shenzhou docking with the Tiangong Space Station and its implications for crew safety. Gillinger also covers NASA's shift to uncrewed missions in the Starliner contract and the Space Force's new contracts for space interceptors. Additionally, he delves into China's LEO satellite activities, highlighting their strategic maneuvers in comparison to Starlink and Kuiper.
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China Restores Crew Return Capability
- China launched an unmanned Shenzhou 22 to dock with Tiangong and restore a safe return vehicle for the crew.
- The spacecraft will remain docked until April 2026 to return the Shenzhou 21 crew.
Starliner Flight Plan Scaled Back
- NASA reduced Boeing's Starliner operational flights from six to four and scheduled the next flight uncrewed.
- The uncrewed Starliner 1 will validate system upgrades and deliver cargo to the ISS in April next year.
Space Force Prototypes Interceptor Work
- The U.S. Space Force awarded multiple small, under-$9M contracts using OTAs to prototype space-based interceptors.
- These awards likely form initial work toward the proposed Golden Dome space-based defense concept.