US EditionDamaged Shenzhou-20 Spacecraft to Return to Earth Uncrewed for Inspection
Shenzhou-20’s cracked window was caused by debris smaller than 1 mm, posing critical risks and prompting uncrewed return to collect vital data, officials said.
- On Dec 1, state broadcaster CCTV reported Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will return to Earth uncrewed after being judged unfit mid-mission, Ji Qiming, spokesperson, said it will `obtain the most authentic experimental data`.
- Engineers found a centimetre-plus crack in the capsule return window caused by a piece of space debris smaller than 1 millimetre, Jia Shijin, Shenzhou spacecraft designer, said.
- A crack was found right before takeoff, forcing a delay; the Shenzhou-20 crew returned to Earth in a different spacecraft nine days later, leaving Tiangong temporarily without a flightworthy return vehicle.
- The vessel remains docked at Tiangong pending inspection, as engineers and mission safety teams said a crack risked cabin depressurisation and life-support system failure.
- The disruption forced an unprecedented operational response, delaying the November 5 planned return after a six-month mission aboard Tiangong, with China's space-industrial complex executing an emergency launch on November 25.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Damaged Shenzhou-20 spacecraft to return to Earth uncrewed for inspection
BEIJING — China’s first crewed spacecraft to be ruled unfit to fly in mid-mission will be sent back to Earth for experts to assess the damage it sustained more closely, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday.
Shenzhou-20 Spacecraft to Make Uncrewed Return to Earth
Shenzhou-20 Spacecraft to Make Uncrewed Return to Earth | China Space StationAfter a potential space debris impact, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, currently docked with China's space station, will make an uncrewed return to Earth, according to Ji Qiming, a project spokesperson with the country's crewed space program.Following a suspected debris strike on Shenzhou-20's viewport, the three astronauts originally scheduled to return to Earth aboard the…
China’s Damaged Shenzhou-20 to Return to Earth in Uncrewed Mode
China has announced that the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft now docked with the country’s space station will make an uncrewed return to Earth. Following a suspected debris strike on Shenzhou-20’s viewport, a trio of astronauts originally scheduled to return to Earth aboard the spacecraft were redirected to Shenzhou-21, which brought them home safely on November 14. Billed […]
The first Chinese space captain with a human crew declared inadequate for flight during a mission will be sent back to Earth so that experts can assess the damage almost...
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