Three Chinese astronauts are stuck 250 miles above Earth after a piece of orbiting junk smacked into their return capsule. It’s yet another sign that we’re turning space into a dangerous landfill.

According to China’s Manned Space Agency, the Shenzhou-20 crew—Wang Jie, Chen Zhongrui, and commander Chen Dong—was supposed to head home Wednesday after a six-month mission aboard the Tiangong space station. Hours before undocking, sensors detected what officials described as a “suspected impact by small space debris.” The return module was sealed off, the trip postponed, and the crew told to sit tight while ground control assessed the damage.

In a statement posted to Weibo, the agency said an “impact analysis and risk assessment” was underway to ensure the safety of all six astronauts current

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