China details Shenzhou-20 capsule damage; experts cite sub-millimeter debris impact

(ECNS） -- Chinese space authorities have released new details on damage to the Shenzhou-20 return capsule, confirming that a crack in one of the spacecraft’s windows was caused by a piece of space debris smaller than one millimeter.

According to CCTV, the incident occurred on Nov. 5, when the Shenzhou-20 crew discovered an anomaly on the edge of a return-capsule viewport during a routine pre-landing inspection. The unexpected finding prompted mission control to issue an immediate pause on the scheduled return flight.

Jia Shijin, chief designer of China’s crewed spacecraft system at the China Academy of Space Technology, said initial assessments suggest the impactor was extremely small but traveling at very high velocity. “The debris was likely less than one millimeter, yet it produced a crack more than a centimeter long,” Jia explained. “From one angle, it even appeared as if the glass had been penetrated. We would be able to fully evaluate the damage only after the spacecraft is returned to Earth.”

Upon receiving the first images from the crew, specialists on the ground were initially unsure whether the mark was a crack or residue attached to the surface. Following instructions, the astronauts photographed the site from multiple angles and lighting conditions, while cameras mounted on the station’s robotic arm provided additional views from outside the module.

More than ten experts from China’s glass-materials sector concluded that the viewport had indeed suffered a through-thickness crack extending from its inner to outer surface.

Less than 12 hours after the diagnosis, mission planners decided to postpone the Shenzhou-20 return for safety reasons.

With the original return plan no longer viable, the crew was instructed to wait for the arrival of Shenzhou-21. On Nov. 14, astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie safely returned to Earth aboard the newly launched spacecraft, setting a new national record for the longest continuous stay in orbit by a Chinese crew.

As the ground backup spacecraft, Shenzhou-22 was launched on Nov. 25. It provided Shenzhou-21’s in-orbit crew with a new “lifeboat,” delivered additional supplies, and transported specialized tools required for the subsequent handling and inspection of Shenzhou-20’s damaged viewport.

Shenzhou-20 will ultimately return to Earth in an uncrewed mode, CCTV reported.