China's manned spacecraft Shenzhou 10 has successfully docked with the Tiangong 1, a target orbiter and space module, at 1:18 p.m. on Thursday.

The Shenzhou 10, which was launched at 5:38 p.m. on Tuesday from northwest China's Gobi desert, began to approach the Tiangong 1 automatically at 10:48 a.m. today and made contact with the space module at 1:11 p.m..

Shenzhou 10, atop an upgraded Long March 2F carrier rocket, blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China, June 11, 2013. [Photo: China.org.cn / Zheng Liang]

Three astronauts --- commander Nie Haisheng, astronaut Zhang Xiaoguang and the second Chinese woman in space Wang Yaping --- are aboard the spacecraft.

The docking procedure was the fifth to take place between Shenzhou-type spacecraft and the space module. Previous dockings include two automated operations by the unmanned Shenzhou 8 in 2011 and both an automated and manual docking by the manned Shenzhou 9 in 2012.

According to their mission schedule, the astronauts will enter the space module later and carry out scientific and technical experiments.

The astronauts are scheduled to conduct a manual docking with the space module during their 15-day journey in space, as well as give a lecture to Earth-bound students.

The Tiangong 1 space lab has been in orbit for about 620 days. It will remain in service for another three months.

The module is considered the first step in building a permanent space station, which the country aims to do by 2020.

China is the third country after the United States and Russia to acquire the technologies and skills necessary for space rendezvous and docking procedures, as well as supply manpower and material for an orbiting module via different docking methods.

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)