ISTANBUL
China’s Shenzhou-20 spaceship, currently docked with China's space station, will return to Earth uncrewed, following a potential space debris impact, the state-run Xinhua News reported on Monday.
Ji Qiming, a project spokesperson with the country's crewed space program, made the announcement, following a suspected debris strike on Shenzhou-20's viewport, which led the three astronauts originally scheduled to return to Earth aboard the spacecraft to return on Nov. 14 aboard Shenzhou-21.
China’s uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft docked on Nov. 25 with the Tiangong space station, after the country activated an emergency backup launch system for the first time.
The backup launch was triggered after the Shenzhou-20 return capsule, carrying a previous crew, was hit by suspected orbital debris, delaying its trip home last week.
On Nov. 5, the agency said the debris impact meant the capsule “does not meet the requirements for the astronauts’ safe return,” prompting the crew to extend their stay in orbit.
A day prior to their planned return on Nov. 5, the Shenzhou-20 crew spotted an anomaly on the viewport's edge -- a triangular, paint-like mark, which was later identified as "penetrating cracks.”