China’s Stranded Astronauts Return Home, But Its Space Station Crisis Is Far From Over

Published on November 14, 2025
The return capsule of the Shenzhou-21 spaceship, carrying the Shenzhou-20 astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, touches down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Nov. 14, 2025.

After space debris damaged a parked capsule, another crew remains on board Tiangong with no ride home.