Spacecraft's cracked window delayed Chinese astronauts' return; How did it happen and why did the Georgia-based assistant professor blame China for this incident?
China's space program just learned that orbital real estate comes with its own version of a broken window tax—except this one was literally a broken window that nearly stranded three astronauts in the cosmic equivalent of a roadside breakdown. When tiny cracks appeared in the Shenzhou-20 return capsule's window, presumably from a collision with space debris, mission control had to call an audible: swap spacecraft and delay the crew's homecoming by nine days. It's the kind of cosmic Murphy's Law moment that makes you wonder if space agencies should start carrying space duct tape as standard equipment.
The incident has thrust a spotlight on a growing crisis that extends far beyond one cracked window. Georgia Tech assistant professor R. Lincoln Hines argued that China bears significant responsibility for the space debris problem, noting that the nation produces more orbital junk than any other country. Hines characterized the damaged Shenzhou-20 window as a critical wake-up call, emphasizing how China's accumulation of orbital debris now poses tangible threats to astronaut safety and the sustainability of future space activities. The crew ultimately returned safely aboard Shenzhou-21 on November 14, 2025, capping their record 204-day mission to China's Tiangong Space Station.
