Record-Setting Chinese Astronauts Return Safely via Backup Craft After Debris Scare
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Three Chinese astronauts have returned safely to Earth after making an emergency switch to a backup spacecraft, following damage to their original return capsule from space debris.
The Shenzhou-20 crew — Commander Chen Dong and astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie — landed at 4:42 p.m. local time on Nov. 14 at the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said. All three were in good health after exiting the Shenzhou-21 capsule.
The mission set a new national record, with the crew spending 204 days in orbit. Their return was delayed from an original Nov. 5 schedule after a small crack was discovered on the window of their Shenzhou-20 capsule. Space authorities believe the damage was caused by a high-velocity strike from a tiny piece of orbital debris.
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- Three Chinese astronauts safely returned to Earth on Nov. 14, 2024, using a backup capsule after space debris damaged their original Shenzhou-20 return craft.
- Their 204-day mission set a national record, with the crew conducting four spacewalks and space medicine experiments.
- China's space program uses a "launch one, back up one" strategy and a three-part debris response to ensure crew safety amid rising orbital debris risks.
- Oct. 31, 2025：
- Shenzhou-21 spacecraft launched.
- Nov. 1, 2025：
- Shenzhou-21 spacecraft docked with the space station.
- By Nov. 5, 2025：
- A small crack was discovered on the window of the Shenzhou-20 capsule, triggering an emergency protocol.
- Nov. 5, 2025：
- The original scheduled return date for the Shenzhou-20 crew before the delay caused by the discovery of a crack in their capsule's window.
- Nov. 14, 2025, 4:42 p.m. local time：
- The Shenzhou-20 crew landed safely at Dongfeng after returning to Earth in the Shenzhou-21 backup capsule.
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