Chinese astronauts ready to return to Earth after extended mission

Three Chinese astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-20 mission are scheduled to return to Earth on Friday, November 14, more than a week later than initially planned, following a suspected debris impact that caused a crack in their spacecraft’s window.

The crew, which had been set to conclude their mission at China’s Tiangong space station last Wednesday, had already handed over control of the station to the newly arrived Shenzhou-21 team, who are embarking on a six-month mission of their own, as per US media.

However, the return of the Shenzhou-20 astronauts was delayed after a “suspected impact from tiny space debris” was detected on their spacecraft, making it unsafe for re-entry. After a nine-day extension, the astronauts will now return aboard the Shenzhou-21 vehicle that transported the incoming crew, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spacecraft is expected to land at the Dongfeng site in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region. CMSA reported that the three astronauts – Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie – are in good health and that preparations for their return are underway.

The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft itself will remain in orbit, as the small crack in the return capsule window rendered it unsafe for the crew. Instead, the ship will continue to support ongoing experiments, the agency said.

During their extended week in space, the Shenzhou-20 astronauts continued to work and live alongside the newly arrived Shenzhou-21 crew, as the Tiangong station has sufficient capacity to accommodate two crews simultaneously.

Tiangong is one of only two operational space stations in orbit, alongside the International Space Station. Since its completion in 2022, China’s biannual Shenzhou missions have become a source of national pride. Recent milestones include breaking an American record for the longest spacewalk, a nine-hour sortie, and plans to host an international astronaut for the first time next year, with Pakistan set to send a representative.

The Shenzhou-21 crew, currently aboard the station without a spacecraft to return in, includes China’s youngest astronaut ever sent to space, 32-year-old Wu Fei.

Looking ahead, the Shenzhou-22 mission, planned for next year, will feature a long-duration residency experiment, with one astronaut remaining in orbit for more than a year.

By Tamilla Hasanova