The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) announced on November 5th the postponement of the Shenzhou-20 mission's return to Earth. This decision was made due to a suspected impact from a small piece of space debris. The CMSEO stated that "The Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft is suspected of being struck by a small piece of space debris, and impact analysis and risk assessment are underway," leading to the postponement "to ensure the safety and health of the astronauts and the complete success of the mission."

Specific details regarding the location of the potential impact, the degree of any resulting damage, or the data indicating the collision were not disclosed by CMSEO. Additionally, no revised dates for the return to Earth have been provided. The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, carrying commander Chen Dong and crewmates Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, launched on April 24th and docked with the Tiangong space station.

Having completed their six-month mission, the Shenzhou-20 crew had transferred control of the station to the newly arrived Shenzhou-21 crew on November 4th. The Shenzhou-21, carrying commander Zhang Lu and crewmates Zhang Hongzhang and Wu Fei, reached the station on October 31st following a launch from Jiuquan spaceport.

The growing threat of space debris in low Earth orbit is a serious concern. Both the International Space Station and Tiangong have had to perform maneuvers to avoid potential collisions. The article notes that even small pieces of debris can cause significant damage. As stated in the article, “The Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft is suspected of being struck by a small piece of space debris, and impact analysis and risk assessment are underway,”.

Possible checks on Shenzhou-20 could involve telemetry and leak tests. Crews may be able to conduct an extravehicular activity (EVA) to assess the situation. Earlier stated CMSEO redundancy and contingency options include the Shenzhou-20 crew using the recently-arrived Shenzhou-21 spacecraft to return to Earth.

The postponement of Shenzhou-20 is the first such issue due to a potential space debris impact. The return of Shenzhou-19, April 30, had been delayed by one day due to poor weather at the Dongfeng landing area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, near Jiuquan spaceport.