Asia-Pacific News
China to attempt docking manoeuvre with Shenzhou-8 spacecraft
Nov 2, 2011, 17:18 GMT
Beijing - China is set to attempt a docking manoeuvre between its Shenzhou-8 spacecraft and the Tiangong-1 space capsule Wednesday, according to information received by dpa from a space programme source.
The docking would take place after 1700 GMT, the source said.
China launched the unmanned Shenzhou-8 early Tuesday, in a key step in its quest to assemble a permanent space station within a decade.
Shenzhou-8 blasted off on board a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the remote Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western China's Gansu province.
It is scheduled stay linked to the Tiangong-1 for about 12 days.
The two-year Tiangong-1 mission was launched on September 29 to provide the target vessel for Shenzhou-8.
Astronauts are scheduled to visit Tiangong-1 twice next year on the Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft, which are designed to link with Tiangong-1 to form a mini-space station.
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