Three Chinese astronauts safely returned to Earth on November 14, 2025, using a backup spacecraft after their original ride home was damaged by space debris. They left three crewmates stranded on the Tiangong space station without a safe return vehicle. A future mission will rescue the remaining astronauts.
Wrapping up 204 days in orbit, Commander Chen Dong and crewmates Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie landed at the Dongfeng zone in China's Gobi Desert at 1:29 am EST (06:29 UTC) on Friday, November 14, 2025. They returned aboard the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft, which had arrived at the Tiangong space station on October 31 with replacement crew members Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang.
Chinese space officials altered the Tiangong mission plan on November 4 after discovering damage to the Shenzhou 20 return capsule, the same vehicle that launched Chen's crew in April. A preliminary analysis revealed a minor crack in the return capsule's window glass, likely caused by an external impact from space debris. The China Manned Space Agency stated, “This does not meet the release conditions for a safe manned return.”
With Shenzhou 20 deemed unsafe, the returning astronauts swapped to Shenzhou 21, marking the first successful alternative return procedure in China's space station program, according to Xinhua news agency. The damaged Shenzhou 20 will remain docked for experiments, while Shenzhou 22 is scheduled for a later launch to deliver supplies and eventually rescue the three stranded astronauts.
Shenzhou spacecraft serve dual roles as transport and emergency lifeboats, similar to Soyuz or Crew Dragon vehicles at the International Space Station. The incident highlights risks from space junk, prompting prior installations of debris shielding on Tiangong. After landing, Chen Dong said, “Space exploration has never been easy for humankind.” He added, “This mission was a true test, and we are proud to have completed it successfully,” emphasizing the program's focus on astronaut safety.