Chinese astronauts inspect damaged Shenzhou-20 capsule after debris strike
Space can be a rough neighborhood—even for astronauts.
On December 9, 2025, two crew members at China's Tiangong space station pulled off an eight-hour spacewalk to check out the Shenzhou-20 capsule after it was likely hit by space debris.
The mission, which started back in April and was set for a six-month run, hit a snag when cracks appeared in the capsule's windows from flying debris—definitely not something you want before heading home.
Crew adapts plans and boosts safety
During their spacewalk, the astronauts documented the damage and installed extra protection against future debris hits.
Since Shenzhou-20 wasn't safe to fly anymore, the crew switched things up and returned on Shenzhou-21 instead.
This whole episode is a reminder that keeping astronauts safe means always staying one step ahead of unexpected hazards in orbit.