Officials said the impact analysis and risk assessment are underway
Three Chinese astronauts have been stranded in orbit after their return capsule was possibly damaged by space debris, according to Daily Mail reporting.
The China Manned Spaceflight Agency (CMSA) confirmed that the Shenzhou 20 crew — Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie — will remain on the Tiangong space station while experts assess the extent of the damage. Their replacements from Shenzhou 21 arrived at the station on October 31, with the handover expected on November 5.
Before the exchange, the Shenzhou 20 return craft was struck by an unidentified object orbiting Earth, leaving a visible dent on its hull and raising fears of internal damage. “The impact analysis and risk assessment are underway,” CMSA officials said, according to CNN.
The collision is suspected to have been caused by space debris — remnants from past missions or rocket launches traveling at speeds up to 17,000mph. The United States currently tracks about 19,000 pieces of such debris, though experts estimate there are over half a million smaller fragments.
It marks the second instance this year of astronauts being stranded in orbit after a capsule failure, following a similar incident involving NASA astronauts seven months ago.