Then there is docking. Despite claims China copied the docking system used by SpaceX and the ISS - published international standards are readily available - China’s orbital implementation likely won’t mate with Crew Dragon hardware.
So a spacewalk then? SpaceX demonstrated EVA capability in 2024 when Jared Isaacman exited through Crew Dragon’s nose. However the Chinese crew’s launch suits aren’t spacewalk-rated, and while Tiangong has Feitian EVA suits, they’re incompatible with SpaceX systems — and might not even fit through Crew Dragon’s hatch.
So a spacewalk then? SpaceX demonstrated EVA capability in 2024 when Jared Isaacman exited through Crew Dragon’s nose. However the Chinese crew’s launch suits aren’t spacewalk-rated, and while Tiangong has Feitian EVA suits, they’re incompatible with SpaceX systems — and might not even fit through Crew Dragon’s hatch.
Not that the SpaceX Dragon rescue will ever happen for other political reasons, but I don’t see space suits as a particular problem. Dragon is a 4 seater, and their are 3 Chinese Taikonauts. A Dragon, with one crew member, and 3 empty Dragon EVA suits could be flown up, the spare suits put in the airlock, and then the suits donned by the Taikonauts. We’ve had a piece of this already when Butch and Suni flew up to the ISS on Starliner, and then had to have Dragon suits (not EVA) flown up separately. Butch and Suni put the Dragon suits on and came back to Earth safely.
Wow what a nothing burger of an article
Not that the SpaceX Dragon rescue will ever happen for other political reasons, but I don’t see space suits as a particular problem. Dragon is a 4 seater, and their are 3 Chinese Taikonauts. A Dragon, with one crew member, and 3 empty Dragon EVA suits could be flown up, the spare suits put in the airlock, and then the suits donned by the Taikonauts. We’ve had a piece of this already when Butch and Suni flew up to the ISS on Starliner, and then had to have Dragon suits (not EVA) flown up separately. Butch and Suni put the Dragon suits on and came back to Earth safely.