The return to Earth of three Chinese astronauts has been delayed indefinitely after their spacecraft allegedly collided with a small piece of space debris. Chinese state media reports.
The three Shenzhou-20 astronauts left for the Tiangong space station in April and were scheduled to return on November 5 after a six-month mission.
But the China Aerospace Exploration Agency said the spacecraft is believed to have collided with a small piece of orbital debris, and the consequences and possible risks are now being assessed.
Chinese astronauts have never visited the International Space Station because of a US law that prohibits NASA from cooperating with China, but Beijing has said it is open to international cooperation.
