Orbital Debris Strike May Delay Crew Return From Tiangong Space Station
China’s human-spaceflight agency has extended the Shenzhou-20 mission after the spacecraft’s return capsule was suspected of being hit by a small piece of orbital debris. The crew of three astronauts is safe and continuing daily operations aboard the Tiangong space station, but the return date has been delayed pending risk assessment. The incident underscores the dangers of space debris in low Earth orbit and may impact future crewed missions. According to AeroTime, the China Manned Space Agency is conducting impact analysis and risk assessment to determine the next steps.