Chinese Astronauts Stranded at Tiangong Space Station
A crew of Chinese astronauts remains at the Tiangong space station after their return capsule was reportedly damaged by small pieces of space debris, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced Wednesday.
Extended Mission Due to Capsule Damage
The three-member Shenzhou-20 team, initially scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, will stay aboard the station longer while engineers analyze the impact and evaluate risks to the damaged spacecraft. The return date has been postponed indefinitely, according to the state broadcaster CCTV, without further details.
Space Debris Hazard and Possible Repairs
The capsule appears to have been struck by fragments of space junk, a growing threat in low Earth orbit. CMSA has not detailed the damage or repair plans. If the capsule cannot be fixed, the Shenzhou-20 crew will return aboard the Shenzhou-21 crew’s capsule, per mission protocol.
Crew Information
- Shenzhou-20 astronauts: Commander Chen Dong, pilot Chen Zhongrui, and engineer Wang Jie
- Arrived at Tiangong in April for a six-month mission
- Shenzhou-21 replacements docked on Saturday: Astronauts Zhang Hongzhang, Wu Fei, and Zhang Lu
“Their mission has been temporarily extended while engineers conduct impact analysis and risk assessments on the damaged spacecraft.” — China Manned Space Agency
The increasing presence of space debris poses a serious challenge to orbital missions and spacecraft safety.
Summary: Chinese astronauts' return to Earth has been delayed after their capsule was hit by space debris, prompting an extended mission and safety evaluations at the Tiangong station.