Asger Risom
Three Chinese astronauts remain stranded in orbit after their spacecraft was hit by fragments of space debris during their descent from the Tiangong space station.
A mission meant to end with a routine return to Earth has turned into a tense survival operation. Three Chinese astronauts remain stranded in orbit after their spacecraft was hit by fragments of space debris during their descent from the Tiangong space station.
Collision in orbit
The accident occurred as the crew of the Shenzhou-22B mission prepared to undock from Tiangong. According to initial reports from China’s National Space Administration (CNSA), radar systems detected fragments from an old satellite just moments before impact, leaving no time to maneuver out of the way.
The debris struck the spacecraft’s propulsion module, damaging both communications and power systems. Although contact with mission control is intermittent, the astronauts—two men and one woman—managed to stabilize the capsule in an emergency orbit and send coded updates on oxygen, water, and battery reserves.
Race against time
Officials have delayed the return to Earth until engineers can determine whether the damaged capsule can safely survive atmospheric re-entry. Meanwhile, teams are analyzing the possibility of a rescue using another vehicle currently docked at Tiangong, though experts caution that such an operation carries significant technical risks.
“The priority is the crew’s safety,” one CNSA spokesperson said in a televised statement, noting that ground teams are working “around the clock” to maintain contact and assess repair options.
Global cooperation
The incident has prompted swift international coordination. NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other national programs have reportedly offered technical assistance and access to satellite data to help monitor the debris cloud, which continues to orbit at speeds exceeding 27,000 kilometers per hour.
The situation has renewed calls for global rules to manage the growing threat of space junk, which scientists warn could lead to cascading collisions if not controlled.
Mounting orbital risk
Astrophysicists describe the potential chain reaction—known as the “Kessler syndrome”—as a scenario in which space debris multiplies through successive impacts, making low Earth orbit nearly impossible to use.
The Shenzhou-22B incident, experts say, is a stark reminder that even a single piece of untracked debris can jeopardize human lives and the future of crewed missions.
Sources: CNSA, Xinhua, NASA, ESA, Reuters
