Chinese Astronauts Return Safely After Space Debris Damages Shenzhou-20 Capsule
Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Friday after their journey home was unexpectedly delayed when a piece of space debris struck their spacecraft last week, causing minor damage and forcing mission controllers to revise the return plan. State broadcaster CCTV confirmed that the crew landed safely at the Dongfeng site in Inner Mongolia on board a backup spacecraft.
The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) disclosed details of the incident for the first time on Friday. Engineers found “tiny cracks” in a small window of the Shenzhou-20 return capsule after the debris collision. Although the damage was limited, CMSA said the vessel “did not meet the safety requirements for a crewed return,” prompting officials to leave Shenzhou-20 in orbit for further testing and scientific experiments rather than attempting re-entry.
The astronauts had originally been scheduled to come home nine days earlier after completing their six-month stay aboard China’s Tiangong space station. The issue was discovered just before their departure, leading mission operators to activate contingency plans. The crew ultimately traveled home on the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, which arrived at Tiangong two weeks ago for a routine handover.
CMSA said the mission had progressed smoothly since its launch in April, with astronauts carrying out scientific research, maintenance work, and key operational tasks. The delay was unusual for China’s space program, which has maintained a highly consistent schedule in recent years, achieving major milestones including record-setting spacewalks and preparations to send the first foreign astronaut, from Pakistan, to Tiangong next year.
However, the emergency switch of return vehicles has created a logistical challenge. With Shenzhou-20 now unusable for crewed return and Shenzhou-21 already used to bring the departing crew home, Tiangong currently has no flight-ready spacecraft docked for its newly arrived astronauts. Under China’s safety protocols, an unmanned emergency rescue craft must be available if astronauts need to evacuate. CMSA said the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft will be launched “at an appropriate time.”
The incident highlights the increasing threat of orbital debris to global space missions. Igor Marinin of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics told Reuters that the amount of space junk has grown so sharply that “the likelihood of damage to spacecraft and space stations of all countries has risen significantly.”
Similar disruptions have affected missions to the International Space Station, which has had to maneuver repeatedly to avoid debris. SpaceX capsules have also performed avoidance actions during astronaut transport flights. Fragmentation of old satellites, defunct rocket stages and anti-satellite tests continue generating long-lasting debris fields.
The growing risk has led to renewed calls for the U.S. and China, despite political tensions, to expand coordination on space safety. NASA and Chinese agencies have increasingly exchanged maneuver alerts in recent years, even as broader cooperation remains restricted under U.S. law.
