Three Chinese taikonauts from the Shenzhou-20 mission are temporarily stranded in orbit. Their return capsule was struck by suspected space debris, prompting the China National Space Administration (CNSA) to postpone their landing.

Shenzhou-20 Crew: Who Remains in Space

• Chen Dong — Mission commander, record-holding veteran taikonaut (380+ days in space)
• Chen Zhongrui — Life support and payload specialist
• Wang Jie — Flight engineer
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What Happened?

The crew completed a successful six-month mission aboard China’s Tiangong space station. On November 5, 2025, they handed over symbolic keys to the incoming Shenzhou-21 crew and prepared for undocking.

Hours before departure, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was hit by a small object—most likely a piece of orbital debris. Visible marks appeared on the hull, raising serious concerns about re-entry safety. There are over 36,000 tracked pieces of space junk larger than 10 cm in Earth orbit.

Is Return Safe?

«A detailed impact analysis and risk assessment for the crew is ongoing,» CNSA stated. No new return date has been announced.

This marks the first time a Shenzhou return has been delayed due to space debris. Emergency protocols exist—if Shenzhou-20 is deemed unsafe, the crew could use the Shenzhou-21 capsule or await a rescue mission.

The incident highlights growing dangers in low-Earth orbit, similar to multiple close calls at the International Space Station.

VIDEO. The crew of the Chinese Shenzhou-20 spacecraft completed the transfer of control in orbit.

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