Three Chinese astronauts successfully returned to Earth on Friday, November 14, 2025, following an unexpected nine-day delay caused by damage to their original return spacecraft. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed that the Shenzhou-20 crew landed safely in the Gobi Desert.
The crew, consisting of astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, had completed a six-month mission aboard the Tiangong space station. They were originally scheduled to return on November 5, 2025, shortly after the arrival of their replacements on the Shenzhou-21 mission.
Details of the Space Debris Strike
The delay was initiated after routine checks revealed damage to the Shenzhou-20 return capsule. According to statements from the CMSA, “tiny cracks” were discovered in one of the capsule’s windows. Agency officials reported that the damage was “most likely caused by impact from space debris.”
Following a risk assessment, the CMSA determined that the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft did not meet the safety requirements for a crewed return to Earth.
In response to the situation, the agency implemented a contingency plan. The Shenzhou-20 crew – who had arrived at the station in April 2025 – was instructed to use the newly arrived Shenzhou-21 spacecraft for their journey home. The Shenzhou-21 had successfully ferried the next crew rotation to Tiangong just days earlier.
A Safe Return and Future Implications
On Friday, the Shenzhou-21 capsule undocked from the Tiangong space station and began its descent. It landed at the Dongfeng landing site in northern China approximately five and a half hours later. The CMSA reported that all three astronauts were in good condition upon their return.
The damaged Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, meanwhile, was left docked to the space station. Chinese state media reported that the capsule will remain in orbit to “conduct relevant experiments,” though further details on the nature of these experiments were not provided.
This incident marks a significant event in human spaceflight, highlighting the increasing and persistent risks posed by orbital debris to crewed missions. It was not immediately clear how the change in spacecraft would affect the schedule for future missions to the Tiangong station, including the planned Shenzhou-22 launch.
