By Three Chinese astronauts safely returned to Earth on Friday, according to state media, more than a week after their scheduled landing. Their extended stay followed a suspected collision with space debris that left their spacecraft with a cracked window.
Medical personnel found the astronauts in good physical condition after the capsule hatch was opened, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
The Shenzhou-20 crew had initially been due to conclude their mission at China’s Tiangong space station last Wednesday. They had already completed handover procedures with the newly arrived Shenzhou-21 crew, who are beginning their own six-month mission.
However, their departure was delayed after “a suspected impact from tiny space debris” damaged the Shenzhou-20 return capsule, Xinhua News Agency said. After a nine-day wait, the astronauts ultimately returned aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft that brought the new crew to the station, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The Shenzhou-20 return capsule suffered “a slight crack” in one of its windows, likely caused by the debris strike, making it unsafe for re-entry, the CMSA said. It will remain in orbit to support scientific experiments.
During the additional week in space, the Shenzhou-20 astronauts continued their work and lived alongside the Shenzhou-21 crew. Tiangong has sufficient capacity and supplies to support two full crews in orbit, Xinhua noted.
Tiangong is one of only two operational space stations in the world, alongside the International Space Station. Since China completed its construction in 2022, the Shenzhou missions have become a significant source of national pride.
China has recently made notable advances in space exploration, including breaking a long-held American record with a nine-hour spacewalk. The country also plans to open Tiangong to foreign astronauts for the first time, with a Pakistani astronaut expected to visit next year.
The Shenzhou-21 crew—now without a return spacecraft following the damage to Shenzhou-20—includes Wu Fei, the youngest Chinese astronaut ever sent to space at age 32.
The Shenzhou-22 mission, scheduled for launch sometime next year, will include an astronaut who is expected to remain aboard the Tiangong space station for more than a year as part of a “long-duration residency experiment,” Xinhua reported.
China’s rapid expansion in space exploration has heightened concerns in Washington, where the United States is accelerating efforts to return astronauts to the moon. During the Trump administration, restrictions were introduced barring Chinese citizens holding U.S. visas from participating in NASA programs.
The U.S. space agency is no stranger to the challenges of retrieving astronauts stranded in orbit. Earlier this year, what was intended to be a short stay aboard the International Space Station turned into a more than nine-month mission for two American astronauts after their spacecraft suffered a malfunction. They were finally able to return in March.
The two countries are also increasingly competing in the formation of new international space partnerships. The U.S.-led Artemis Accords, which outline principles for lunar exploration and cooperation, stand in contrast to the Chinese- and Russian-backed International Lunar Research Station, reflecting a growing divide in global space governance.
