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The three-member crew stranded on China’s space station after reportedly being hit by space debris are preparing to return Friday using the spacecraft that brought their replacement crew.
Three astronauts – Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie – visited the Tiangong space station in April.
According to state media, the three astronauts were on a six-month visit to the space station and were due to return on November 1, four days after the arrival of the new crew.
However, their return was halted when their Shenzhou-20 spacecraft was believed to have collided with a small piece of space debris.
“They are returning using the Shenzhou-21 craft instead,” state media said.
China’s Manned Space Engineering Office said the astronauts were “in good condition, working and living normally”.
About China’s Moon Mission
China has made steady progress in its space program since 2003. It has built its own space station and aims to land a man on the Moon by 2030. They also intend to build a base on the surface of the Moon.
“China remains firm on its stated goal of landing a man on the Moon by 2030,” CMSA said.
The latest Shenzhou-21 mission brought rats for experiments, a first for China’s space program. Four laboratory rats, two male and two female, were the subjects of China’s first classroom experiments on rodents.
About Tiangong Space Station
The Tiangong Space Station, also known as the “Heavenly Palace”, is the crown jewel of China’s space program.
After being left out of the International Space Station due to US national security concerns over the Chinese space program’s direct ties to the People’s Liberation Army, the country has invested billions of dollars in it in an effort to catch up with the United States and Russia.
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