Shenzhou-20 Crew Still Aboard Tiangong-3, Return Date Unclear

In an obscurely worded statement, China’s Xinhua news agency conveyed that the Shenzhou-20 crew is doing well on its extended stay aboard the Tiangong-3 space station. Their planned return to Earth a week ago was delayed because their spacecraft apparently was struck by space debris. Xinhua did not say then or now when they will return or whether a replacement spacecraft must be launched.

China has been rotating crews on Tiangong-3 for roughly six-month tours since the end of 2022. It follows a pattern similar to that on the U.S.-Russian-European-Japanese-Canadian International Space Station (ISS). The ISS just celebrated 25 years of permanent occupancy

The new Shenzhou-21 crew launched on October 31 to replace Shenzhou-20 and the crew-exchange ceremony took place on November 4, but when the time came for Shenzhou-20 to get ready to undock, the damage was noticed. Xinhua hasn’t provided any information on how it was discovered.

China’s Shenzhou-20 crew has completed its in-orbit handover with the Shenzhou-21 crew and is scheduled to return to Earth on Nov. 5 https://t.co/Hp2XTApSmz pic.twitter.com/WyvOYESHkQ

— China Xinhua Sci-Tech (@XHscitech) November 4, 2025

China didn’t share any updates until today when it quoted the China Manned Space Agency as saying that both crews are doing well aboard the space station and work on the return of Shenzhou-20 “is proceeding in an orderly manner as planned.” After explaining that a “comprehensive simulation analysis, testing, and safety assessment” was made and “All systems are rigorously conducting joint tests as required, while key product status reviews and quality confirmations are carried out,” Xinhua left unanswered when they will depart.  It said only that “Concurrently, the landing site is performing comprehensive exercises for the crew’s return.”

Wu Lei from China’s CGTN in Shanghai posted undated photos on X (@wulei2020) of the Shenzhou-20 crew in the spacecraft.

A full simulation analysis, safety assessment & testing of the spacecraft have been conducted, along with planning for the #Shenzhou20 crew’s return.
China Manned Space Agency said the #Tiangong space station remains in good condition and can support both crews in orbit. pic.twitter.com/ke29opOjJW

— Wu Lei (@wulei2020) November 11, 2025

The Shenzhou-21 crew brought four mice with them, the first time rodents are on a Chinese space station. CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) posted images on X from Weibo, China’s X-like platform, of the crew and of the mice, all of whom appear to be fine.

Today is the tenth day that the six astronauts of Shenzhou 21 & Shenzhou 22 have been living and working together on Tiangong space station. Oh, and don’t forget about the space mouse too! Source:https://t.co/3rLemM0PGe pic.twitter.com/G3wlWit1qh

— CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) November 11, 2025

Space debris — old satellites, rocket stages, or fragments thereof — is a growing problem, especially in low Earth orbit where the ISS and Tiangong-3 operate. Tiny remnants of asteroids called micrometeoroids are another hazard. The term MMOD — Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris — is used to refer to both. Even a fleck of paint flying at orbital velocity of 17,500 miles per hour can cause significant damage.

Russia’s Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft was damaged while docked at the ISS in late 2022 and all of its coolant leaked into space. The spacecraft was deemed unsafe and had to be replaced. It returned to Earth empty and subsequent analysis suggested it had been struck by a micrometeoroid, although it can be difficult to make such a determination. The Soyuz MS-22 crew, including NASA’s Frank Rubio, ended up staying on the ISS for a year instead of six months.  The uncrewed Russian Progress MS-21 cargo spacecraft also was struck by either space debris or a micrometeoroid while docked at the ISS in February 2023. Progress spacecraft are not designed to survive reentry, so it couldn’t be studied afterwards to narrow down the cause.

China shares little information about their space missions although they usually provide at least some notice of crew launches and reentries and air them live on CGTN.  If they do decide Shenzhou-20 is unsafe to bring the crew home, Andrew Jones, a Finland-based journalist who closely follows China’s space program, reports that the next Shenzhou spacecraft, Shenzhou-22, and a CZ-2F rocket to launch it are “almost ready to go” at the Jiuquan Satellilte Launch Center in the Gobi desert.

That’s what we’re waiting to see. They have a CZ-2F and Shenzhou-22 almost ready to go at Jiuquan, so that may be launched soon (And then, they’d need SZ-23 to be close to ready too, in case there’s an emergency for Shenzhou-21 crew).

— Andrew Jones (@AJ_FI) November 11, 2025