Chinese astronauts are currently stranded at the Tiangong space station following an incident where space debris struck their return capsule, according to China’s spaceflight agency. The three-member Shenzhou-20 crew had been planning to return to Earth on Wednesday, but their mission has been extended as the CMSA conducts impact assessments and risk evaluations on the damaged spacecraft. China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, reported that the crew’s return date has been indefinitely postponed, with no additional details provided.
Space debris is increasingly becoming a risk in low Earth orbit, and while CMSA has not yet specified the extent of the damage or potential repairs, protocols indicate that if the spacecraft is irreparably damaged, the Shenzhou-23 crew could use the Shenzhou-21 crew’s capsule for their return. The Shenzhou-21 team successfully docked with the station on Saturday, with their members now assisting in the mission’s continued operations.
The Shenzhou program regularly sends crews of three Chinese astronauts to and from the Tiangong space station for 6-month missions, where they carry out tasks ranging from scientific experiments to repairing debris damage. The Shenzhou-20 astronauts—mission commander Chen Dong, fighter pilot Chen Zhongrui, and engineer Wang Jie—arrived at Tiangong in April for a 6-month rotation. They were nearing the end of their mission when the issue occurred.
Since launching its crewed spaceflight program in 2003, China has steadily expanded its capabilities—building its own space station and setting its sights on landing astronauts on the moon by 2030.