Shenzhou 15, a manned spacecraft launched by China on the 29th, arrived safely at the Chinese space station on the 30th.
According to China’s state-run ‘CCTV’, Shenzhou 15 and three astronauts took off on the 29th on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Station located in the Gobi Desert of Gansu Province in northwest China.
About six hours after launch, Shenzhou 15 successfully docked with Tianhe, the core module of the Chinese space station.
The three Shenzhou 14 crew members who arrived in early June will return to Earth after a week-long transfer, including allowing the space station to provide temporary accommodation for six astronauts, along with the three newcomers .
The three Shenzhou 15 crew members are expected to return in May next year after a six-month journey on the space station.
They will reportedly conduct more than 40 experiments in the fields of space science, medicine and technology while performing a validation mission for a long-term stay in the space station.
China plans to complete construction of its Tiangong space station by the end of the year, and Shenzhou 15 will carry out the final leg of the required 11 missions.
Tiangong is a Chinese space station with a length of 37m and a weight of 100 tonnes.
VOA news
* This article was sourced from Reuters.
