Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experience after safe return from debris incident

The three astronauts of China’s Shenzhou-20 mission made their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November 2025, sharing details of their 204-day spaceflight at a press conference in Beijing on Friday. Mission commander Chen Dong, along with Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, reflected on the record-setting mission, which became the longest single stay in space by a Chinese crew.
The astronauts revealed that a triangular crack was discovered on a spacecraft window before their planned return, prompting immediate reporting and the activation of emergency procedures by the ground team. The return was later delayed for safety reasons, and the crew ultimately came back aboard the Shenzhou-21 return capsule. During the mission, the team completed four spacewalks, multiple payload transfers and extensive scientific experiments. After finishing post-mission recovery and health evaluations, the astronauts are now set to resume normal training.
Credit : CGTN