A growing international call is echoing across social media for Elon Musk and his company SpaceX to help rescue three Chinese astronauts stranded aboard their return capsule after it was struck by an “unknown object” in orbit.
The trio — Senior Colonel Chen Dong, Colonel Chen Zhongrui, and Colonel Wang Jie — launched to China’s Tiangong space station in April, with a scheduled return to Earth on November 5.
Damage to the Capsule Keeps Chinese Astronauts Stranded
Chinese space officials confirmed this week that the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft may have sustained significant damage during its six-month mission in orbit. The cause of the incident remains unclear, though early assessments suggest it was likely caused by space debris, the dangerous remnants of defunct satellites and rocket parts floating around Earth.
“It’s a stark reminder that our planet’s orbital environment is getting increasingly crowded,” said aerospace analyst Dr. Lin Wei, noting that more than 30,000 pieces of trackable debris now orbit Earth.
