Space News #9

[ottarrus]

Three Chinese 'taikonauts' are stranded in space after their return capsule was hit by debris.

Three Chinese astronauts stranded in space after debris hits their return capsule

Three Chinese taikonauts — Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui and Chen Dong — will be extending their stay aboard China's Tiangong space station after their return capsule was struck by a presumed piece of orbital debris on Wednesday.

www.livescience.com

 

[To Tha Moon!]

Who's putting together a rescue mission?

 

[AndrewW]

Who's putting together a rescue mission?

The Pioneers will if there is a doggie with them.

 

[Condottiere]

Not if they run out of rations.

 

[ottarrus]

This was just announced so I don't know who is gonna be available to help.
The Russians usually have something on the pad, but I don't know who might have something launch-ready within the time window.

 

[Condottiere]

One of their launch pads has defaulted on it's electrical bill.

 

[CordwainerFish]

In space-adjacent news, there's a fairly hefty geomagnetic storm in progress, which has practical consequences for interests as diverse as aurora hunting and amateur radio:

G3 Storm in Progress | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

www.swpc.noaa.gov

 

[rinku]

This was just announced so I don't know who is gonna be available to help.
The Russians usually have something on the pad, but I don't know who might have something launch-ready withing the time window.

It doesn't appear any rescue mission is needed. The article says they're likely to return with the next scheduled Chinese mission.

Sounds almost identical to the 2023 IISS situation where the return capsule was unsafe. Keep in mind this isn't space tourism, but professional taikonauts in a proper long term occupancy space station.

 

[ottarrus]

An update I just saw today.
The PRC's space agency has launched an unmanned 'lifeboat' to rendezvous with the Tiangong Station, where 3 'taikonauts' have been stranded for a week. The crew of Mission Shenzhow-21 will return to Earth as scheduled in Spring 2026.
Link below:

Marooned no more! Stranded Chinese astronauts finally have a way home following launch of unmanned 'lifeboat'

China has launched an unmanned "lifeboat" to the Tiangong space station, ending a month-long fiasco. The spacecraft will eventually ferry home the marooned Shenzhou-21 crew, who have been stuck without a return capsule for over a week.

www.livescience.com