This is a distressing trend in space exploration.
No matter what our particular feelings about Communist China and their space program, it is worrying news to learn that a Chinese space crew is temporarily stranded at the Tiangong space station.
The astronauts – or rather, taikonauts – have been put in this dangerous situation after space debris struck their return capsule, according to China’s spaceflight agency.
Fox News reported:
“The three-member Shenzhou-20 team had been scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, but their mission has been temporarily extended as engineers conduct impact analysis and risk assessments on the damaged spacecraft, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said in a statement.”
#Shenzhou20 taikonauts have spent over 150 days in orbit, continuing their groundbreaking work aboard China’s Tiangong space station!
Follow their remarkable journey of discovery. #TiangongTVseries https://t.co/6NWpm9i28a pic.twitter.com/Nd2LQOFpoC— Wu Lei (@wulei2020) October 12, 2025
Chinese astronauts cook chicken wings in their newly installed convection oven aboard the Tiangong space station
pic.twitter.com/rQ0OhZ9Nnp— World of Engineering (@engineers_feed) November 4, 2025
China’s Shenzhou-20 crew on November 4 completed their in-orbit handover with the Shenzhou-21 crew and will return to Earth on November 5, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).https://t.co/g4gfkHERAA pic.twitter.com/GKStzZy6zB
— CCTV+ (@CCTV_Plus) November 4, 2025
CMSA announced the return of Shenzhou-20 postponed due to a suspected impact on the spacecraft by space debris. https://t.co/FeptT6z2XI pic.twitter.com/qe6viKTiwe
— China ‘N Asia Spaceflight ️ (@CNSpaceflight) November 5, 2025
The return date has been postponed indefinitely.
“The crew’s return capsule is believed to have been hit by tiny fragments of space junk – an increasing hazard in low Earth orbit. CMSA has not specified the extent of the damage or what repairs, if any, will be required. If the spacecraft cannot be repaired, protocol states the Shenzhou-20 crew will use the Shenzhou-21 team’s capsule to return to Earth.”
The Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship will be launched at an appropriate time in the near future, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Friday. #XinhuaNews pic.twitter.com/4D6mXn1de0
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) October 24, 2025
“The Shenzhou program regularly sends crews of three Chinese astronauts to and from the Tiangong space station for six-month missions, where they carry out tasks ranging from scientific experiments to repairing debris damage.
The Shenzhou-20 astronauts – mission commander Chen Dong, fighter pilot Chen Zhongrui and engineer Wang Jie – arrived at Tiangong in April for a six-month rotation. They were nearing the end of their mission when the issue occurred.”
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The post LOST IN ORBIT: Chinese Astronauts Stranded in Tiangong Space Station After Debris Strikes Their Return Capsule appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.