China's Shenzhou-20 return capsule touches down on Earth
Summary
China's Shenzhou-20 return capsule successfully touched down in Inner Mongolia after a 270-day unmanned mission verifying long-duration docking capabilities and addressing emergency repairs following a suspected space debris impact.
Key Points
- The Shenzhou-20 return capsule landed successfully at Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia.
- The mission completed a 270-day unmanned orbital duration, verifying the spacecraft's nine-month docking capability.
- A suspected collision with space debris caused window cracks, leading to emergency procedures and an emergency launch of Shenzhou-22.
- The Shenzhou-20 crew spent 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for longest Chinese astronaut crew stay.
- The Shenzhou-21 crew undertook extravehicular activities to inspect the Shenzhou-20 capsule's damage before its return.
