The astronauts are stuck in space after damaged to the Shenzhou-20 capsule. The delay underscores the threat of increasing amounts of space debris.

The three returned home early Friday morning when the recently-launched Shenzhou-21 module touched down at 3:40 a.m. local at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

Space debris is creating growing problems for space operations. It includes any artificial objects in orbit not operating as satellites or spacecraft.

The astronauts are stuck in space after damaged to the Shenzhou-20 capsule. The delay underscores the threat of increasing amounts of space debris.