China's Stranded Astronauts Show the Dangers of Space Junk

Three Chinese astronauts face delayed return to Earth after space debris struck their Shenzhou 20 spacecraft docked at the Tiangong space station. While the astronauts remain safe with backup evacuation options available, this marks the first known time orbital junk has disrupted a homecoming mission. With over 45,000 human-made objects now orbiting Earth and debris traveling at 27,000 kilometers per hour, experts warn such incidents will become increasingly common as space traffic grows exponentially.