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China Delays Shenzhou 20 Crew’s Return Over Suspected Debris Strike

Authorities launched a safety review following indications the reentry capsule may have been struck by orbital debris.

Overview

  • Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie had been scheduled to land in the Gobi Desert today after roughly six months in orbit.
  • The China Manned Space Agency said analyses and risk assessments are underway and the landing is postponed until further notice to protect the crew.
  • The trio remains on Tiangong after a completed handover to the newly arrived Shenzhou 21 team of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang.
  • The European Space Agency estimates more than one million objects larger than one centimeter orbit Earth, and UN bodies have called for shared tracking and traffic management.
  • During their mission, the Shenzhou 20 astronauts conducted experiments and carried out repairs to address damage previously linked to debris fragments.