China Prepares to Bring Home Three Astronauts Stranded in Space
A Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, lifts off on April 24.
Photographer: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty ImagesChina has activated emergency plans for three astronauts who are stuck in space after debris crashed into their spacecraft.
A safety assessment and other analysis of the Shenzhou-20 spaceship are being organized, the China Manned Space Engineering Office said in a statement. A rehearsal is also underway at the landing site in Inner Mongolia to prepare for the crew’s return, with “all work is progressing steadily and in an orderly manner as planned,” it said.