China’s Shenzhou-20 Return Capsule Touches Down on Earth

Dongfeng: The return capsule of the Shenzhou-20 spaceship, carrying no astronauts, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Monday. According to Qatar News Agency, an on-site inspection confirmed that the exterior of the Shenzhou-20 return capsule was generally normal and the items inside were in good condition, citing the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The CMSA announced that the Shenzhou-20 spaceship's return mission was a complete success. However, they noted tiny cracks in the capsule's viewport window, likely caused by external impact from space debris. China had launched the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship on April 24, 2025, with the aim of sending three astronauts to its orbiting space station for a six-month mission. Despite the initial success, the spacecraft, originally scheduled to return the astronauts to Earth on Nov. 5, was unable to meet the requirements for their safe return, as reported by the CMSA.