China has a problem with space debris: now three of its best astronauts are stranded in space

Some trips are straightforward. Others take an unexpected turn. The crew of the Shenzhou-20 mission, made up of experienced Chinese astronauts Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong, is effectively stranded aboard the Tiangong space station after their Earth-return capsule was hit by orbital debris earlier this week. The three astronauts launched on April 24 and were scheduled to return sometime in November. That plan is now up in the air.

Chinese authorities are investigating what happened, but so far they have not disclosed the extent of the damage or when the crew might be able to come home. As is often the case with China’s space program, limited public information has only added to the uncertainty.

Return delayed after a routine handover

The astronauts were originally set to splash down on Wednesday, Nov. 5, following a successful crew rotation with the Shenzhou-21 mission, which arrived at the station on Oct. 31.

Instead, at around 10:30 a.m. local time that same Wednesday, officials from the China Manned Space Agency announced a postponement. The statement was released on Weibo, China’s main social media platform.

According to the agency, the delay is due to concerns that the crew’s return capsule may have been struck by small pieces of space debris. Officials said an impact analysis and risk assessment are now underway to ensure the health and safety of the six taikonauts currently aboard Tiangong. No additional technical details have been made public.

Space junk: A growing problem in Earth’s orbit

This is not the first time China’s space station has been affected by orbital debris. In 2023, one of Tiangong’s solar panels was hit, causing a partial power outage, according to Ars Technica. Following that incident, additional shielding was installed on parts of the station during spacewalks.

The amount of space junk circling Earth is rising rapidly, fueled by the growing number of satellites and spacecraft in low Earth orbit. It is a risky mix that has already put multiple missions on alert. For now, it has left three Chinese astronauts waiting in space, while their families and much of Asia’s space community anxiously watch from below.

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