A trio of Chinese astronauts is facing an unexpected delay in returning to Earth after their spacecraft was reportedly struck by a small piece of orbital debris. The crew’s return, initially scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed to an unspecified date, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, which did not provide additional details.
The three astronauts—mission commander Chen Dong, fighter pilot Chen Zhongrui, and engineer Wang Jie—have been aboard the Tiangong space station since April as part of the Shenzhou-20 mission, completing a six-month rotation. Their replacements from the Shenzhou-21 mission successfully docked with the station on Saturday, ensuring continued operation while the return of the Shenzhou-20 crew is reassessed.