Success

Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC

Name: Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC launch
Start: 2011-10-31T21:58:10+00:00
End: 2011-10-31T21:58:10+00:00
Location: Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Long March 2F/GChina Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921)

Monday, October 31, 2011 · 09:58 PM UTCAdd to Calendar

This mission is complete.

Vehicle

Long March 2F/G

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The Long March 2F is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch the crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-...

Height62 m

LEO Payload8,399 kg

Launches612

Successes589

Provider

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

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CHN • Founded 1999

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufactu...

Mission Brief

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.

PayloadShenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC

OrbitLow Earth Orbit

CustomerShenzhou

Stages2

PadLaunch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921), Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China