Three Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station are unable to return home after their re-entry capsule was damaged. Shenzhou-21 crew members Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang have been stranded since last Friday.
The only return vehicle was damaged in early November when it was struck by space debris.
China's Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said the collision was caused by "a very small piece of space debris," which cracked the capsule's imaging window.
CMSA officials said work is underway to send a safe replacement return vehicle. Although no official return date was announced, flight logs indicate a launch is planned for 25 November. Until then, the trio must remain on the station.
Experts warn that risks increase the longer they wait. The previous mission's three astronauts returned to Earth using an intact capsule. It is not clear why the entire crew was not kept on the station until the backup capsule arrived, but shortages of onboard resources after the earlier crew's delayed return may be a factor.
This marks the second time in two years astronauts have been stranded in space. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams only returned in March after technical failures extended their eight-day mission to nine months.
Engineer Jan Osburg of RAND Corporation called the latest situation "a major warning," telling Space.com, "It's quite bad. We hope the astronauts return safely as soon as possible."
GROWING THREAT FROM SPACE & DEBRIS
With Earth's orbit becoming increasingly cluttered, collision risks continue to rise. In 2021, debris damaged the International Space Station's robotic arm, and the ISS has had to perform multiple avoidance maneuvers in recent years.
The full extent of the damage to China's capsule is unknown, and the world is watching as efforts continue to bring the three astronauts home safely.
