The crew of China’s Shenzhou-20 mission is reported to be in excellent health and continuing their daily activities despite an unexpected delay in their return to Earth. The astronauts, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, were originally scheduled to return on November 5, but their plans were disrupted after their spacecraft was suspected to have been hit by a small piece of space debris. The exact date for their return remains unspecified, but the mission team is actively conducting tests and drills to ensure a safe journey back. The China Manned Space Engineering Office confirmed that the crew is ‘in good condition, working and living normally.’ The trio had been stationed at the Tiangong space station since April, completing a six-month rotation. Meanwhile, the Shenzhou-21 mission successfully docked with the space station on November 1, marking a milestone by transporting mice for the first time for scientific experiments. China’s space program has seen significant advancements since its inception in 2003, including the construction of its own space station and ambitious plans to land a human on the moon by 2030.
China’s stranded astronauts ‘in good condition’ after space debris delays planned return
