Image: Xinhua
Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 2F/G · Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 95th launch · 13th this year · humanity's 5,172nd orbital launch attempt
The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).
Window: Oct 31, 21:58 – Oct 31, 21:58 UTC
Flight preview
Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC
This is the first docking mission for China's Shenzhou program. Being the first spacecraft to visit the Tiangong-1 space station, it was launched without crew to demonstrate spacecraft rendezvous and docking techniques. The spacecraft docked automatically to the station on 2 November 2011. A second undocking and re-docking to test accuracy and reliability of equipment and sensors in a bright environment was performed on 14 November 2011. Shenzhou 8 undocked on 17 November 2011 and landed safely back on Earth the same day.
Human Exploration · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Booster
No booster details available.
Watch
No webcast announced yet.
Pad — Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921)
29 launches from this pad · 292 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Open in maps