China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 2F/GLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC
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No countdown — this launch time is not yet known to the minute.October 31, 2011Add to calendar
Image: Xinhua
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
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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)
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Pad — Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921)
29 launches from this pad · 295 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
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