Chinese Spacecraft Possibly Hit by Orbital Debris
▼ Summary
– Three Chinese astronauts postponed their return from the Tiangong space station due to a suspected impact from small space debris on their Shenzhou 20 spacecraft.
– The China Manned Space Agency announced the delay to ensure astronaut safety and mission success while engineers conduct impact analysis and risk assessment.
– The astronauts had been scheduled to land in Inner Mongolia on Wednesday but will remain at the station until the investigation is complete.
– The Shenzhou 20 crew arrived in April and had completed a handover ceremony with the newly arrived Shenzhou 21 crew before the postponement.
– The spacecraft consists of three sections, with only the landing capsule designed to survive reentry while the other modules burn up in the atmosphere.
A planned return to Earth for three Chinese astronauts has been unexpectedly delayed following concerns their spacecraft may have sustained damage from orbital debris. The crew, stationed aboard the Tiangong space station, will remain in orbit while engineers conduct a thorough investigation into the integrity of their Shenzhou 20 return vehicle. This decision underscores the persistent and growing threat that space junk poses to all orbital operations.
In a brief social media announcement made late Tuesday, the China Manned Space Agency revealed the situation. The agency’s statement indicated the spacecraft is “suspected of being impacted by small space debris” and that a comprehensive “impact analysis and risk assessment are underway.” To prioritize the well-being of the crew and the mission’s overall success, the scheduled return for November 5 was officially postponed. The agency, which is operated by China’s military, did not provide further specifics.
The three astronauts from the Shenzhou 20 mission originally arrived at the orbital outpost back in April. Their stay was expected to conclude after the arrival of their replacements on the Shenzhou 21 mission, which successfully docked with Tiangong last Friday. This event briefly increased the station’s population to six individuals. Following several days of collaborative work and a formal handover ceremony held early Tuesday, command of the station was transferred to the incoming crew. The decision to delay the departure came less than a day after this ceremonial change of command.
Critical details regarding the suspected incident remain undisclosed. The space agency’s announcement did not specify which section of the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft might have been struck, what evidence pointed engineers toward a debris impact, or the potential length of the mission extension. The Shenzhou spacecraft is composed of three distinct modules. The central crew return capsule is flanked by a habitation section and a module dedicated to power and propulsion. During a normal return sequence, these modules separate before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. Only the heavily shielded landing capsule is designed to survive the intense heat, descending under parachutes for a landing in Inner Mongolia, while the other components are intentionally destroyed.
(Source: Ars Technica)
