Chinese Astronauts Return After Delay Due to Space Debris

Three Chinese astronauts returned from their nation’s space station on Friday after a nine-day delay due to damage to their original return capsule, Shenzhou-20, likely caused by space debris. They instead used the Shenzhou-21 capsule, which had brought a replacement crew to the station. Their 204-day mission marked the longest stay for any astronaut at China’s space station, part of China’s military-controlled space program developed after exclusion from the International Space Station.

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