The Chinese crew of the Shenzhou-20 mission completed its mission in orbit, but the return to Earth, originally scheduled for Wednesday 5 November, was postponed due to an unexpected emergency. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced the postponement due to a suspected impact with tiny space debris that affected the spacecraft.
The three members of Shenzhou-20 – Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie – had successfully completed all planned operations. The handover ceremony in orbit was held on Tuesday, during which the keys to the Chinese space station were transferred to the new crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission.
Safety priority: risk analysis started
Although the mission is technically over and the crew is ready for re-entry, CMSA has made the decision to delay the landing. The primary objective is “ensure the safety of astronauts and the success of the mission,” as stated by the agency.
The suspected debris impact, a growing risk in the orbital environment, mandated the immediate initiation of a detailed risk analysis and assessment. Only after the conclusion of this analysis and confirmation of safety conditions will the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft be able to proceed towards the Dongfeng landing site, located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in northern China.