Three Chinese astronauts from Shenzhou-20 will return after a nine-day delay caused by a suspected impact from tiny orbital debris that cracked their return capsule window. The crew will come home aboard the visiting Shenzhou-21 spacecraft and land at the Dongfeng site in Inner Mongolia. CMSA says the damaged Shenzhou-20 will remain in orbit to conduct experiments, and Tiangong can support two crews simultaneously. The incident underscores China's rapid progress in space amid broader US–China competition over lunar exploration.
Cracked Return-Capsule Window Forces Nine-Day Delay — Chinese Astronauts to Return Aboard Visiting Spacecraft
Three Chinese astronauts from Shenzhou-20 will return after a nine-day delay caused by a suspected impact from tiny orbital debris that cracked their return capsule window. The crew will come home aboard the visiting Shenzhou-21 spacecraft and land at the Dongfeng site in Inner Mongolia. CMSA says the damaged Shenzhou-20 will remain in orbit to conduct experiments, and Tiangong can support two crews simultaneously. The incident underscores China's rapid progress in space amid broader US–China competition over lunar exploration.
09:39 AM, 11/14/2025Science
Chinese astronauts to return after nine-day delay caused by suspected debris strike
Three Chinese astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth on Friday, nine days later than planned, after a suspected hit from tiny orbital debris cracked the return capsule window of their spacecraft.
China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) and state media report that the crew of Shenzhou-20 — Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie — were due to end their mission at the Tiangong space station last Wednesday. They had even transferred control of the outpost to a newly arrived team on Shenzhou-21, which began its own six-month mission.
Following the discovery of a "slight crack" in the return capsule window of Shenzhou-20, CMSA said the damaged craft was deemed unsuitable for bringing the crew home. Instead, the trio will return aboard Shenzhou-21 — the spacecraft that delivered the incoming crew — touching down at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia, according to state reports. Officials say the astronauts are in good health and landing preparations are underway.
CMSA said Shenzhou-20 will remain in orbit to continue experiments rather than be used for reentry. During the extended stay, the Shenzhou-20 crew continued their duties and daily life alongside the Shenzhou-21 astronauts; CMSA and Xinhua note that Tiangong has the capacity to host two crews simultaneously.
Tiangong milestones and international context
Tiangong is one of only two active space stations in orbit today, along with the International Space Station. Since the station’s completion in 2022, China's biannual Shenzhou missions have been a high-profile national achievement. Recent milestones include a record nine-hour spacewalk and plans to host foreign astronauts — reportedly including a Pakistani astronaut next year.
The new crew currently aboard Tiangong now remain without the spacecraft they arrived in and will use future missions — including Shenzhou-22 next year — for return and crew-rotation needs. Xinhua reports that Shenzhou-22 will include one astronaut staying more than a year as part of a long-duration residency experiment.
Competition and cooperation in space
China’s rapid progress in human spaceflight has heightened strategic attention in Washington, where the US is also racing to return humans to the Moon. The two nations have pursued separate frameworks for lunar activity: the US-led Artemis Accords and the China–Russia-backed International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
US space agencies have faced similar operational challenges. Earlier this year, two American astronauts experienced an extended stay after a spacecraft malfunction and returned months later, highlighting the complexity and risk of crewed spaceflight.
Sources: China Manned Space Agency, Xinhua, state media and reporting by CNN contributors.