China has sent a replacement return vessel to its space station, successfully completing the first emergency launch for its crewed space programme.

The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft carrying 600kg (1,320lb) of goods, including food and equipment to fix the damaged spacecraft, was launched at 12.11pm on Tuesday and docked with the Tiangong space station less than four hours later.

That meant it could not make a safe return to Earth with a crew onboard.

The damaged ship will be repaired and will eventually return to Earth, but only with a cargo and no astronauts on board.