Chinese astronauts are currently unable to return from the Tiangong space station after their return capsule was reportedly struck by a small piece of space debris, as indicated by the country’s space agency on Wednesday.
The three astronauts on the Shenzhou-20 mission were scheduled for a return on the same day but have had their mission extended while engineers assess the damage and risks involved with the affected spacecraft, according to the China Manned Space Administration (CMSA).
State broadcaster CCTV mentioned that the new return date is yet to be determined, though specifics weren’t provided. The crew’s capsule sustained a hit from debris, a growing concern in low Earth orbit. However, CMSA hasn’t disclosed how severe the damage is or whether repairs can be made. If repair isn’t possible, protocol indicates that the Shenzhou 20 crew would use the capsule from the upcoming Shenzhou 21 mission to return to Earth.
The Shenzhou space program regularly sends crews of three astronauts to the Tiangong space station for six-month stints. Here, they perform tasks that range from conducting scientific experiments to fixing damage inflicted by space debris.
The Shenzhou-20 team, which includes mission commander Chen Dong, fighter pilot Chen Zhongrui, and engineer Wang Jie, arrived at Tiangong in April and were nearing the end of their mission when this incident occurred.
The Shenzhou 21 mission successfully docked with the station last Saturday, bringing in a new crew comprised of astronauts Zhang Hongzhang, Wu Fei, and Zhang Lu.
Since the start of its human spaceflight program in 2003, China has been steadily advancing its capabilities, including building a space station and setting its sights on landing astronauts on the moon by 2030.
