BEIJING - A Chinese spacecraft on Sunday successfully completed the country's first manual docking in orbit, the official Xinhua news agency said, a milestone in an ambitious programme to build a space station.
The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft manually linked with the Tiangong-1 module just over a week into a manned space mission which includes China's first female astronaut, following an automatic docking on Monday.
"The first manual docking has been completed normally," mission control announced in a live broadcast on state television.
The manual "space kiss" was the main goal of the Shenzhou-9 mission, testing the docking technique essential to building a space station -- which China aims to do by 2020.
The two spacecraft first came together in an automatic docking on June 18, and several hours later the three astronauts on board Shenzhou-9 entered the experimental Tiangong-1 module -- a first for China.
Earlier on Sunday, the two vessels separated in preparation for the manual docking, which state media originally said would take place around noon (0400GMT), although it was not completed until roughly 45 minutes later.
Manual docking is hard to master as it involves two vessels -- placed in the same orbit and revolving around Earth at thousands of kilometres per hour -- coming together very gently to avoid destroying each other.
The Tiangong-1 will only stay in orbit until 2013 and will later be replaced.
- AFP/ir
Popular Posts
-
7 steps to make your skin whiter 1. Increase your Vitamin C intake. This enhances skin color and suppleness. This will help keep your skin...
-
You know it’s summer because of the girls on bikes. They’re all pumping their bare legs wearing windblown little numbers and get...
-
Diamond Bikini by Susan Rosen And Steinmetz – $30 million The diamond bikini is created by Susan Rosen with Steinmetz Diamonds and has more...
-
This is the latest sex scandal to hit the Korean entertainment industry. Korean superstar trading sexual favours for opportunities. The sex...
-
This is definitely one of the sexiest music videos released in South Korea this summer. This is After School ’s comeback MV “Flashback”! Re...
-
Selena Gomez thought her recent sultry magazine shoot was "beautiful" and it was something she felt "comfortable with". ...
-
Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, star of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Pict...
-
We finally have a new set from highly popular Korean race queen Heo Yun Mi 허윤미 (aka Heo Yoon Mi ). As the title indicates, Heo Yun Mi has...
-
Documentary screening at the French Cultural Centre celebrates the high-wire walk between New York’s Twin Towers in 1974, and the attitude t... -
Gorgeous Han Chae I 한채이 (aka Han Chae Yee ) is finally back in Korea’s racing events. This new one is called Korea Speed Festival Round ...
0 comments To "China completes first manual space docking"
Post a Comment