Three Chinese astronauts are facing an indefinite delay in their return to Earth due to fears that their spacecraft, the Shenzhou-20, may have suffered damage from space debris. The astronauts, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, have been aboard the Chinese space station for six months and were originally scheduled to leave on October 4, 2023.
The China Manned Space Agency has not disclosed specific details regarding the timing of any potential impact or the extent of the damage. The agency announced that thorough impact analysis and risk assessment are necessary before the crew can safely depart. “The decision to delay the return aims to ensure the astronauts’ safety and mission success,” the agency stated to Chinese state media.
In light of this delay, a new team of astronauts is already at the space station, prepared to take over once the current crew returns. For the time being, both crews will remain on the spacecraft. This situation echoes a previous incident involving two American astronauts who were stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly a year due to a malfunction in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Those astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Willmore, eventually returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon vehicle after a protracted mission that lasted 286 days.
The delay for the Chinese astronauts is not expected to stretch to such extreme lengths. Nevertheless, it highlights the growing concerns surrounding space safety as the frequency of launches increases, driven by a new global race for lunar exploration and beyond. China has significantly invested in its space program, with aspirations to establish a permanent lunar settlement, including plans for nuclear reactors on the moon’s surface by 2035.
In August, Sean Duffy, the interim administrator of NASA, emphasized the need for the United States to accelerate its own lunar plans. “We’re behind. If we’re going to engage in the race to the moon and the race to Mars, we have to get our act together,” he remarked. As nations compete for dominance in space, the implications of such delays and technical challenges will likely influence future missions and international collaborations.
As the situation develops, attention remains focused on the safety of the astronauts and the measures being taken to ensure their return home. The analysis and assessments by the China Manned Space Agency will be crucial in determining the next steps for the crew aboard the Shenzhou-20.