Three Chinese astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-20 mission remain in
orbit after their return capsule was likely struck by tiny space debris,
forcing an indefinite delay in their journey back to Earth. The China
Manned Space Agency said engineers are assessing the damage to
ensure crew safety before re-entry.
Commander Chen Dong, pilot Chen Zhongrui, and engineer Wang Jie
had been scheduled to return after a six-month stay at the Tiangong
space station. Their replacements from the Shenzhou-21 mission
successfully docked last weekend and may assist in bringing them
home if the damaged capsule is deemed unsafe.
The incident highlights growing concerns about orbital debris hazards.
China’s space program, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon by
2030, has made rapid progress since 2003 — even as space agencies
worldwide grapple with the dangers of space junk in low Earth orbit.
Pic courtesy: Wikimedia Commons