BEIJING (AP) — The stranded crew of a Chinese space mission is “in good condition, working and living normally,” China’s Manned Space Engineering office said on Tuesday.
The three astronauts on the Shenzhou-20 mission are facing a delayed return to Earth after their scheduled Nov. 5 return was aborted after their spacecraft was believed to have been struck by a small piece of space debris.
The return has been pushed back to an unspecified date, but the mission team is carrying out tests and drills, according to a statement issued by the space agency.
(L-R) Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong wave during a departure ceremony before boarding a bus to take them to the Shenzhou-20 spaceship at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert on April 24, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
The astronauts face a delayed return to Earth after their spacecraft was believed to have been struck by a piece of space debris. ZUMAPRESS.com
China has a goal of landing a person on the moon by 2030. ZUMAPRESS.com“The Shenzhou-20 crew is in good condition, working and living normally,” the statement said.
The three astronauts — Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie — traveld to the Tiangong space station in April and were finishing their six-month rotation.
The replacement Shenzhou-21 mission successfully docked with the space station on Nov. 1, carrying for the first time a group of mice for experiments.
China has made steady progress with its space program since 2003.
It has built its own space station and has a goal of landing a person on the moon by 2030.
