KPL
(KPL/Prensa Latina) The astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 mission will return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft after their own spacecraft was damaged by space debris, official sources reported.
(KPL/Prensa Latina) The astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 mission will return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft after their own spacecraft was damaged by space debris, official sources reported.
The Manned Space Engineering Office said Shenzhou-21 successfully separated from the Tiangong space station complex, and Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie are in good health.
According to the source, the return trip on Shenzhou-20, as originally planned, cannot proceed because a small crack was detected in the window glass of the spacecraft’s reentry module.
Experts identified the problem after photographic analysis, design checks, simulation studies, and wind tunnel tests.
According to the report, the most likely cause was an external impact from space debris, which renders the spacecraft unsuitable for a crewed return according to safety criteria. The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will remain in orbit to conduct further experiments, the statement concluded.
The Shenzhou-20 was launched last April from the Jiuquan Space Center and carried astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie to Tiangong, where they have remained for more than six months.
The spacecraft’s return was scheduled for last week following the arrival of the new crew aboard Shenzhou-21.
KPL
