The company is considering a traditional Initial Public Offering (IPO)
or a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) merger, and plans to
list in the U.S. with a new headquarters in Dallas.
The announcement
comes alongside a leadership change, with the promotion of Lane
Kasselman to co-CEO alongside founder Peter Smith.
Key details of the IPO plan
Timeline: 2026
Method: Either a traditional IPO or a SPAC merger
Location: The United States, with Dallas serving as the new American headquarters
Leadership: Lane Kasselman has been promoted to co-CEO, joining founder Peter Smith
Blockchain.com Plans to Go Public in 2026, Adds Co-CEO
A view of Shenzhou-21 docked at the Tiangong space station, Oct. 31, 2025.Credit:CMSEO
HELSINKI — China is set to launch an uncrewed Shenzhou spacecraft to the Tiangong space station to provide the Shenzhou-21 astronauts with a means of returning home.
An airspace closure notice issued Nov. 17 indicates that China is preparing the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft and a Long March 2F rocket for launch at around 11:10 p.m. Eastern Nov. 24 (0410 UTC, Nov. 25) from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. China’s human spaceflight agency has yet to publicly announce the plan.
The move comes after the Shenzhou-20 crew needed to use the recently-arrived Shenzhou-21 spacecraft toreturn homeNov. 14 after space debris damaged their own Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. This leaves the Shenzhou-21 astronauts apparently without a lifeboat in the case of a catastrophic emergency, such as depressurization or fire aboard Tiangong.
The Shenzhou-21 astronauts—commander Zhang Lu and crewmates Zhang Hongzhang and Wu Fei—launched to TiangongOct. 31 in the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, beginning their six-month-long mission. They were handed control of Tiangong Nov. 4 by the outgoing Shenzhou-20 crew, who were due to depart for Earth the next day after completing their own half-year stint in orbit. That journey was howeverpostponedearly Nov. 5 due to the detection of a suspected debris impact which damaged a small viewport window on Shenzhou-20.
Shenzhou-22, originally scheduled to launch the next crew to Tiangong around April-May 2026, will now launch without a crew, according to Zhou Yaqiang, an official with the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO), speaking to China Central Television Nov. 15.
Zhou stated that preparations were underway and that food and supplies for the astronauts and equipment for the space station would be aboard Shenzhou-22.
The unforeseen extended stay of the three Shenzhou-20 astronauts would have drained supplies and put additional strain on Tiangong’s life support systems.
CMSEO, China’s human spaceflight agency, stated previously that the Long March 2F and Shenzhou spacecraft for the subsequent mission would be in a state of near-readiness at Jiuquan in case of emergencies on Tiangong, and could be readied in 8.5 days in best case scenarios. The launch will come 20 days after the discovery of damage to Shenzhou-20.
Variables in determining how long it takes to ready and launch a backup Shenzhou spacecraft likely include availability and readiness of the 921 complex launch pads—the primary of which, LS-91/43, had just launched Shenzhou-21—weather, range safety and orbital mechanics, as well as the state of the spacecraft and launcher. Launch timing is constrained by orbital phasing requirements between Jiuquan and Tiangong, which can add days of delay even if the hardware is ready.
China will de-orbit the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft at a later date. In theory, the spacecraft remains docked and physically accessible, but CMSEO has determined it does not meet safety criteria for returning a crew.
“Based on preliminary analysis of photographs, design review, simulation analysis, and wind tunnel testing, a comprehensive assessment determined that the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft’s return capsule window glass had developed a minor crack, most likely caused by an external impact from space debris, thus failing to meet the requirements for a safe crewed return,” a Nov. 14 CMSEOstatementread.
“The Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft will remain in orbit to conduct relevant experiments.”
The crack to the heat-resistant glass outer layer of the viewport window could cause the glass to break, exposing inner layers to high-temperature plasma during reentry, possibly leading to the loss of integrity of the window and decompression of the spacecraft.
Meanwhile, the Shenzhou-20 astronauts, commander Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, arrived in Beijing Nov. 15 after landing in the Dongfeng landing area near Jiuquan, Nov. 14. The trio will now enter a quarantine and recovery period, undergoing comprehensive medical examinations and health assessments, and will be allowed to rest and recuperate, according to a CMSEOstatement. They will meet the press after this period.
Ukraine's BIGGEST Frontline Challenge is Manpower Shortages
Ukrainian
Ground Forces have put out a statement saying that Ukraine will offer
more incentives for foreign military volunteers to join the ranks.
Quote:"A new system for the deployment of
foreign military personnel is being introduced. The key principle of the
new model is to make the most effective use of their experience,
motivation and professional skills in the units where they are most
needed.
Foreign military volunteers who sign a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine will have broader opportunities for service
Donald Trump
has stated that US senators are working on a bill which is aimed at
putting pressure on Russia, through its partners. This would mean that
any country which cooperates with Russia will likely come under scrutiny
from the US government.
Trump threatens very severe sanctions on countries that still do business with Russia Ivan Diakonov — 17 November, 06:02
Ukraine’s Foreign Andrii Sybiha has asked Ukraine’s international partners to support the country’s drone production sector.
ISW has highlighted the fact that Ukraine needs to make more use of the traditional artillery systems.
