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China's stranded astronauts 'in good condition' after space debris delays planned return
AP | November 11, 2025 10:20 PM CST

Synopsis

The crew of China's Shenzhou-20 space mission is safe and well. Their return to Earth has been postponed after their spacecraft may have been hit by space debris. The astronauts are continuing their work aboard the Tiangong space station. China's space program is advancing steadily with ambitious future goals.

Journalists film next to the Chinese character launch center as Shenzhou-21 spacecraft sitting atop a Long March rocket covered on a launch pad is seen behind, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China

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The stranded crew of a Chinese space mission is "in good condition, working and living normally," China's Manned Space Engineering office said on Tuesday.

The three astronauts on the Shenzhou-20 mission are facing a delayed return to Earth after their scheduled Nov. 5 return was aborted after their spacecraft was believed to have been struck by a small piece of space debris.

The return has been pushed back to an unspecified date, but the mission team is carrying out tests and drills, according to a statement issued by the space agency.


"The Shenzhou-20 crew is in good condition, working and living normally," the statement said.

The three astronauts - Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie - traveld to the Tiangong space station in April and were finishing their six-month rotation.

The replacement Shenzhou-21 mission successfully docked with the space station on Nov. 1, carrying for the first time a group of mice for experiments.

China has made steady progress with its space program since 2003. It has built its own space station and has a goal of landing a person on the moon by 2030.


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