Chinese Astronauts’ Return Delayed After Spacecraft Hit by Debris

By Staff, Agencies

The return to Earth of three Chinese astronauts has been delayed until an unspecified date after their spacecraft was apparently struck by a small piece of debris, according to Chinese state media.

The three astronauts from the Shenzhou-20 mission flew to the Tiangong space station in April, and were expected to return on Wednesday at the end of a six-month mission. Their replacements, the crew of Shenzhou-21, had already arrived on the weekend.

“The Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft is suspected to have been struck by a small piece of orbital debris, and assessment of the impact and associated risks is currently under way,” said the China Manned Space Agency in a statement.

“To ensure the health and safety of the astronauts and the successful completion of the mission, it has been decided that the originally planned return of Shenzhou-20 on November 5 will be postponed.”

Authorities did not specify when the incident occurred. Earlier this week, state media reported the crews enjoying a meal cooked in the space station's new oven and conducting a handover ceremony, with videos shared on social media.

Aerospace communicator Yu Jun said authorities may activate a "plan B," deploying a backup ship, if return risks are deemed too high.

“Shenzhou-22 and the Long March 2F [launcher] were already on standby. This is our rolling backup mechanism. They are in ‘emergency duty’ mode and ready to bring our astronauts home safely if needed,” Yu told his more than five million followers on Weibo.

China has steadily advanced its manned space program, conducting 37 flights and six manned flights, and aims to land a man on the moon by 2030.

Shenzhou-20 commander Chen Dong holds the Chinese record for longest cumulative spaceflight [380+ days] and most spacewalks [6].

Due to a US law prohibiting NASA from working with Chinese astronauts, no Chinese astronaut has visited the International Space Station. Instead, China anticipates welcoming international cooperation on its Tiangong space station.