Taikonauts recount discovering window cracks on Shenzhou-20 during return prep

Chinese taikonauts aboard Shenzhou-20 described spotting a triangular mark on the return capsule’s window—suggesting cracks likely from a space‑debris impact—during routine checks at the Tiangong space station. The finding delayed their departure, with ground teams and the Shenzhou-21 relief crew working to assess the damage. The crew ultimately returned to Earth nine days later aboard Shenzhou-21 after a 204‑day in‑orbit stay, in what CCTV and officials describe as China’s first spaceflight emergency.