Three Chinese astronauts, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, were forced to extend their six-month stay in space due to concerns that their return ship may have been hit by debris, the China Space Agency said on Wednesday, according to reports.
A video of the taikonauts – Chinese astronauts – by state broadcaster CCTV+ shows the astronauts grilling meat in space. The clip stunned the internet as they posted hilarious responses.
“This takes air frying to another level,” one X user commented jokingly.
Among the three astronauts, Wu Fei, aged 32, is the youngest Chinese astronaut ever to go into space, CNN reported, citing local media reports.
Why are astronauts trapped?
Astronauts Dong, Zhongrui and Jie were scheduled to end their six-month mission and return on Wednesday, November 5.
They had already handed over control of China’s space station to a new crew when their return home was suddenly delayed due to a suspected impact on their Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, the China National Space Administration said on Wednesday.
“An impact analysis and risk assessment is underway,” the space agency said, without elaborating on any damage or how long the ship’s inspection might take.
The China Space Agency said the delay was made to ensure the safety and health of the astronauts.
When will the astronauts return?
To date, no new return date has been announced for the three astronauts who departed China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in April 2025.
The delay in the return of the astronauts comes days after China celebrated the successful launch of Shenzhou-21.
A newer model of the spacecraft has successfully delivered another batch of astronauts to China’s Tiangong Space Station – or “Heavenly Palace” in Chinese.
Last year, technical problems involving the Boeing Starliner spacecraft forced two NASA astronauts — including Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore — to extend their stay in space by nine months.
