Update | Chinese spacecraft docks successfully and astronauts enter orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab
Pictures of crew floating in near zero gravity into the lab were broadcast live on state TV as they begin month on board the Tiangong-2
Two Chinese astronauts entered China’s space lab on Wednesday morning after Shenzhou-11, China’s sixth manned spacecraft, successfully docked with the Tiangong-2 orbiting research base.
It marked the beginning of China’s longest stay in an orbiting laboratory. Astronauts Jing Haipeng, 49, and Chen Dong, 37 will spend a month in the lab and conduct a series of experiments.
The spacecraft and orbiting lab successfully docked at about 3 am while the astronauts entered the research facility around three hours later.
After adjusting its orbit five times, the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft arrived 52 km behind the Tiangong-2.
The Shenzhou-11 then effectively “chased” the space lab, while the two decelerated to manoeuvre themselves into position to dock, state television reported.