Chinese Astronauts Stranded in Space After Capsule Struck by Debris

As of November 10, 2025, three Chinese astronauts remain stranded on the Tiangong space station after their return capsule was reportedly struck by an unknown object, causing significant damage. The Shenzhou-20 team, comprising mission commander Senior Colonel Chen Dong and crew members Colonel Chen Zhongrui and Colonel Wang Jie, had been scheduled to return home on November 5.

However, Chinese officials have revealed that the spacecraft may have sustained damage while docked in orbit for the past six months. The cause of the damage is believed to be space debris, a growing problem of junk floating around Earth from older space missions and rocket launches.

This alarming incident has reignited memories of a similar situation last year, when NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were marooned aboard the International Space Station (ISS) after a capsule malfunction. In that case, Elon Musk's SpaceX was credited with carrying out the rescue operation.

Now, a global plea is growing for Musk to step in and rescue the stranded Chinese astronauts. While many are hopeful that SpaceX can once again come to the rescue, officials have pointed out that China's Tiangong station is not compatible with SpaceX's capsules, posing a significant challenge.

In the meantime, China is preparing a backup return vehicle, the Shenzhou-22, which is already on standby and ready to launch if needed to bring the astronauts home safely. This "rolling backup mechanism" is part of China's contingency plan to ensure the safety of its space crews.