Stranded Chinese Space Station Astronauts Return to Earth

Chinese astronauts stranded aboard the country’s Tiangong space station after suspected space junk struck their capsule have returned to Earth aboard their replacement crew’s spacecraft, China’s human spaceflight agency said, Vishwam Sankaran reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The Shenzhou program rotates crews of three Chinese astronauts to and from the Tiangong station for six-month stays, during which they perform numerous tasks. (Photo: Shujianyang Wikimedia Commons)

The three astronauts — Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong — part of the Shenzhou-20 mission, were initially expected to return to Earth on Nov. 5.

But a suspected impact from a small piece of space debris on their return spacecraft forced officials to call off the scheduled departure.

The Shenzhou program rotates crews of three Chinese astronauts to and from the Tiangong station for six-month stays, during which they perform numerous tasks, including repairing damage to the orbiting outpost.

With a replacement crew for the Shenzhou-21 mission already arriving at the station last month, both teams remained aboard longer than planned.