Astronauts say training helped ensure safe return

The three astronauts from China's Shenzhou XX mission said that support from the ground control team and their well-trained crewmates was crucial to their successful response to an unexpected incident involving a cracked spacecraft window.

They made the remarks during a media event in Beijing on Friday, marking the first public appearance of the Shenzhou XX crew — mission commander Senior Colonel Chen Dong, and crew members Colonel Chen Zhongrui and Colonel Wang Jie — after returning to Earth in November.

The three astronauts were originally scheduled to return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou XX return capsule after the Shenzhou XXI spacecraft successfully docked with the Tiangong space station. However, during the final inspection phase before their return, they found a crack on the return capsule's window, possibly hit by tiny fragments of space debris. Their return was deferred after evaluation by ground experts.

The crew gave a detailed account of how they handled the emergency situation. Senior Colonel Chen said that the crew discovered a triangular crack in the window. He quickly took photos and sent them to the ground control team.

Together with the Shenzhou XXI mission crew, the astronauts closely observed and discussed the window's condition, fully cooperating with ground staff during the review and confirmation process.

After assessing the situation, the mission headquarters decided that the Shenzhou XX spacecraft's reentry posed safety risks and delayed the return, activating an emergency plan, Chen said.

He emphasized the importance of trust at that moment. "We trusted the ground team. They anticipated every possibility and exhausted every method to develop the safest return plan for us," he said. "We trusted ourselves. We are well-trained astronauts, capable of dealing with various unexpected malfunctions and staying calm and composed."

Colonel Chen Zhongrui said the ground team had undergone solid emergency response training. "We felt confident. Behind us is a strong motherland. Our team always strives for excellence, and our crew stayed united as one," he said.

Thanks to precise assessments and efficient support from the ground team, the Shenzhou XX crew successfully switched to the Shenzhou XXI return capsule and landed safely.

Colonel Wang Jie served as the spaceflight engineer and previously worked on the construction of the space station. Wang said that when equipment malfunctions occurred in space, the basic knowledge and design principles he accumulated on the ground could be put to immediate use.

"We learn a little more and practice one more time on the ground, so that we can stay calm at that moment in space," he said.