China's Shenzhou-20 crew held their first post-mission press conference on January 16, 2026, revealing new details about their record-breaking 204-day space expedition that concluded in November 2025. The three astronauts described conducting 37 scientific experiments in orbit while assisting in the expansion of China's Tiangong space station.
Mission Commander Zhang Wei disclosed engineers are investigating a suspected space debris impact during re-entry: "Our training prepared us for such scenarios. The capsule's multi-layer protection system performed as designed, ensuring our safe return." Preliminary analysis suggests the object measured less than 1 centimeter in diameter.
The crew's biological experiments on rice cultivation in microgravity showed promising results, with some plants completing full life cycles. This breakthrough could prove vital for future long-duration missions. Biomedical data collected from the astronauts themselves is currently being analyzed by 23 research institutions across the Chinese mainland.
China Manned Space Agency Deputy Director Zhou Jianming confirmed preparations are underway for the Shenzhou-21 mission scheduled for late 2027, which will focus on advanced material science experiments in orbit.
