A group of three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth after being stuck on China’s space station for over a week due to damage from debris to their spacecraft. The Shenzhou-20 vessel was deemed unfit for flying because of a crack, leaving the crew without a way to return home in case of an emergency. The astronauts, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, returned on the Shenzhou-21, which was not supposed to come back for another six months.
Currently, the Tiangong space station does not have a working spacecraft to bring the Shenzhou-21 crew back in an emergency situation. One astronaut among them, Wu Fei, is the youngest Chinese astronaut to go to space. Chinese space authorities have not addressed the risks faced by the Tiangong station. Instead, state media focused on the Shenzhou-21’s journey back to Earth. The state news agency reported that the return of the Shenzhou-20 crew marked a successful new procedure in China’s space program, and they set a record for the longest stay in orbit among Chinese crews.
Looking ahead, the China Manned Space Agency announced plans to launch the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft sooner than planned. This decision may draw from lessons learned from similar situations in Russia. The damaged Shenzhou-20 must be fixed or removed to allow for future missions, as the Tiangong station requires an empty docking port at all times. If the damage is beyond repair, it may need to be undocked and deorbited into the Pacific Ocean.
What’s Next for the Damaged Spacecraft at China’s Space Station?
A group of three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth after being stuck on China's space station for over a week due to damage from debris to their spacecraft.
