Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui, and Chen Dong, the astronauts part of the Shenzhou-20 mission, were launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China in April. They reached the Tiangong space station<\/a> in six hours, with their return journey initially scheduled for 5 November.<\/p>\n The Shenzhou mission cycles crews of three Chinese astronauts to and from the Tiangong space station <\/a>for six-month stays, during which they perform a range of tasks, including repairing damage to the orbiting outpost.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n China’s Shenzhou-20 space mission (L-R) Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui, and Chen Dong, wave during a departure ceremony (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n However, a suspected impact from a small piece of space debris on the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft has called off their scheduled departure.<\/p>\n Their replacement crew, launched on 31 October from Earth, has already reached the orbiting outpost, and the two teams currently remain aboard Tiangong with impact analysis and risk assessment currently underway.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft is suspected to have been struck by a small piece of orbital debris, and assessment of the impact and associated risks is currently under way.<\/p>\n \u201cTo ensure the safety and health of the astronauts and the success of the mission, it has been decided that the Shenzhou-20<\/a> return mission, originally scheduled for 5 November, will be postponed,\u201d the space agency announced.<\/p>\n China\u2019s space agency hasn\u2019t revealed whether the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was hit by debris mid-flight or while it was docked onto Tiangong.<\/p>\n Existing protocols suggest that if Shenzhou-20 remains unrepairable, the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft would be used to transport the stranded crew back to Earth.<\/p>\n A backup Shenzhou spacecraft would be sent if both the space vehicles are found to be damaged.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"China's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Chinas-Shenzhou-20-space-mission-(L-R)-Wang-Jie-Chen-Zhongrui-and-Chen-Dong-wave-during-a-departure..jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Long](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Long-March-2F-carrier-rocket-carrying-the-Shenzhou-20-spacecraft.jpeg\")
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