Three astronauts who have been in space for the last six months have been left stranded after their ship was hit by an "unknown" object.
China's Manned Spaceflight Agency (CMSA) has said the astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-20 mission are now trapped on the Tiangong space station.
Since April, astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie have been carrying out experiments and space walks while living on the CCP-operated space station.
However, disaster struck on November 5 before the crew could hand responsibility of the station over to the next astronaut cohort as their return capsule was hit by dangerous floating debris.
Astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie have been carrying out experiments and space walks on the CCP's space station
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The craft's hull sustained noticeable damage, sparking fears that the trio's descent back to Earth could be left in peril.
The crew will now have to carry out careful examinations on the capsule before they can attempt to use it again.
Astronauts from the Shenzhou-21 mission have joined their stranded predecessors on Tiangong after blasting off from Earth on October 31.
It is currently known when the trio will be able to return to Earth.
Astronauts from the Shenzhou 21 mission have joined their stranded predecessors on Tiangong
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In a statement, the CMSA said: “The Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft is suspected to have been struck by a small piece of orbital debris, and assessment of the impact and associated risks is currently under way.
“To ensure the health and safety of the astronauts and the successful completion of the mission, it has been decided that the originally planned return of Shenzhou-20 on November 5 will be postponed.”
Chinese science influencer Yu Jun said that if the crew discover that the damage is too severe to return in the capsule, the CCP-controlled space authority will activate a backup plan.
This is believed to involve deploying a substitute ship from Earth to rescue them.
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Chinese authorities are not aware of what type of object struck the craft
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Mr Yu wrote on a Chinese social media platform: “Shenzhou-22 and the Long March 2F (launcher) were already on standby. This is our rolling backup mechanism.
"They are in ‘emergency duty’ mode and ready to bring our astronauts home safely if needed."
Chinese authorities are not aware of what type of object struck the craft, but it is believed to be space debris.
This can include broken-up satellites and discarded items from prior space missions.
The floating objects present a risk to astronauts as they can travel at speeds of up to 17,000 miles per hour.
Nasa experts believe there are around 19,000 pieces of space junk currently orbiting the Earth.
However, some scientists believe this figure could be as high as 500,000 due to smaller pieces being difficult to spot.
The CMSA has confirmed that the impact analysis and risk assessment is now underway.
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