China was forced to postpone the return of three astronauts from its Tiangong space station following a suspected collision with space debris that appears to have struck the spacecraft they were supposed to return in.
As the New York Times reports, the China Manned Space Agency is still investigating the hair-raising incident.
“The Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft is suspected to have been struck by a small piece of orbital debris, and assessment of the impact and associated risks is currently under way,” the agency said in a statement.
The three affected crew members were part of the Shenzhou-20 mission, which launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northern China in April. They’ve spent six months on board the spacious Tiangong space station, currently the only other fully operational orbital habitat apart from the International Space Station.
The crew was supposed to return on Thursday, but the suspected debris strike forced them to delay the trip to “ensure the health and safety of the astronauts and the successful completion of the mission,” per the China Manned Space Agency.
The incident highlights just how much of a problem the increasing amount of space junk orbiting the Earth has become, particularly for those spending prolonged periods of time in space.
These pieces, which can be errant parts of rockets, dead satellites, or micrometeoroids, can range significantly in size. However, at extremely high speeds, even the tiniest pieces or fragments can trigger a crisis.
According to state-run newspaper China Daily, an object measuring just one centimeter in diameter can deliver the equivalent amount of energy as a hand grenade when traveling at 10,500 mph. For context, the Tiangong station is traveling at just over 17,000 mph to maintain its orbit.
“You don’t see them, and they are deadly,” International Academy of Astronautics space debris expert Christophe Bonnal told the NYT.
Worse yet, anti-satellite weapons tests, such as the one carried out by Russia in late 2021, could make the situation far worse, sending even more debris into an already very busy orbit.
And it’s not just China that’s dealing with the problem. The ISS routinely has to fire its thrusters to avoid debris.
Scientists are still working hard to come up with ways to clean up the space around our planet to ensure that future space exploration won’t be plagued by the threat, but have yet to make meaningful progress.
It remains unclear whether China will send an emergency spacecraft to rescue the astronauts, which would involve launching an unmanned Shenzhou capsule to the Tiangong, as part of a previously discussed Plan B.
Fortunately, being stuck on board the Tiangong doesn’t sound too bad. Earlier this week, videos circulating online showed the astronauts baking chicken wings inside a “space oven,” a tasty meal that surely shored up morale during this stressful period.
More on Tiangong: China Installs Oven in Space Station, Astronauts Use It to Enjoy Succulent Barbecue Feast