Shenzhou 20
Crewed mission disrupted by space debris damage to spacecraft.
Shenzhou 20, the twentieth flight of China's Shenzhou program and its fifteenth crewed mission, launched on 24 April 2025. The spacecraft carried three taikonauts to the Tiangong space station, where it docked at the nadir port of the Tianhe core module. The crew took over operations from the departing Shenzhou 19 team. The mission was planned to last about six months, with the crew expected to return after the arrival of Shenzhou 21.
The crew—commander Chen Dong, operator Chen Zhongrui, and engineer Wang Jie—were announced the day before launch. Chen Dong had previously flown on Shenzhou 11 and commanded Shenzhou 14. Chen Zhongrui, a fighter pilot, was responsible for mission operations, while Wang Jie, from the China Academy of Space Technology, maintained the station's subsystems.
On 31 October, Shenzhou 21 docked with the station. Both crews were shown in a state-media video eating "barbecued" chicken wings together.
On 5 November 2025, just hours before Shenzhou 20 was scheduled to undock, Chen Dong and Wang Jie discovered a small triangular crack on the outer pane of the re-entry capsule window. A microscope revealed long, thin cracks in the pane. Suspecting a debris impact, mission controllers postponed the return. After assessment, Shenzhou 20 was deemed unsafe for reentry. The three crew members returned to Earth on 14 November aboard the docked Shenzhou 21 spacecraft.
Shenzhou 20 remained docked to Tiangong for further inspection. In December, CMSA confirmed that Shenzhou 20 would return uncrewed after repairs using equipment from a future resupply mission. On 9 December, Shenzhou 21 astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Lu performed an 8-hour spacewalk to inspect the damage. Shenzhou 20 undocked on 18 January 2026 and landed in the Inner Mongolia desert on 19 January at 01:34 UTC, uncrewed.
Quick Facts
- Mission Type
- Tiangong space station crew transport
- Operator
- China Manned Space Agency
- Spacecraft Type
- Shenzhou
- Manufacturer
- China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
- Crew Size
- 3 up, 0 down
- Crew Launching
- Chen Dong / Chen Zhongrui / Wang Jie
- Crew Evas
- 4
- Crew Eva Duration
- 27 hours, 33 minutes
- Launch Date
- 24 April 2025, 09:17:31 UTC (17:17:31 CST)
- Launch Rocket
- Long March 2F/G (Y20)
- Launch Site
- Jiuquan, LA-4/SLS-1
- Launch Contractor
- China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Shenzhou 20 launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on a Long March 2F rocket, docking with the nadir port of the Tianhe core module. The crew took over operations from Shenzhou 19. The mission was planned to last about six months, with return after Shenzhou 21 arrived. On 31 October 2025, Shenzhou 21 docked, and both crews were pictured eating barbecued chicken wings aboard the station.
Reader's Guide
Shenzhou 20 is significant as the first Chinese crewed mission to have its return vehicle rendered unusable by space debris. On 5 November 2025, cracks were found in the spacecraft's window, attributed to a suspected debris impact. The crew's return was postponed, and they ultimately returned to Earth on 14 November aboard Shenzhou 21. The damaged Shenzhou 20 remained in orbit for follow-on experiments, was inspected during a spacewalk on 9 December 2025, and returned uncrewed on 19 January 2026, carrying cargo. The incident prompted the early uncrewed launch of Shenzhou 22 on 25 November 2025 to restore a return vehicle for the station crew. This mission highlights the risks of orbital debris and China's adaptive response in crewed spaceflight.
Did You Know?
- Shenzhou 20's crew returned to Earth on 14 November 2025 using the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft instead of their own.
- A small triangular crack was found in the outer pane of the re-entry capsule window.
More in Crewed Shenzhou missions 1-19
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