China's Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, originally scheduled to return astronauts to Earth this week, will remain in orbit indefinitely after safety issues were detected. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Friday that tiny cracks in the return capsule’s viewport window—likely caused by space debris—make it unfit for crewed re-entry. 🛰️
While the spacecraft won’t bring astronauts home, it’ll continue conducting experiments in orbit, turning an unexpected setback into a new opportunity for research. CMSA emphasized that crew safety is its top priority and stated the incident highlights growing challenges posed by space debris. 🌌
This development comes as China advances its ambitious Tiangong space station program, which has seen multiple crewed missions since 2021. Experts say the decision reflects a cautious, science-first approach to space exploration. 🔭
