Shenzhou 8 was an uncrewed Chinese orbital spacecraft launched as part of the People's Republic of China's Shenzhou programme. The mission was conducted by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
Launch
- Date and time: 1 November 2011, 06:30 UTC
- Launch vehicle: Long March 2F launch rocket
- Launch site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Launch Pad 1
Mission profile
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Spacecraft type: Shenzhou 8, based on the Shenzhou crewed vehicle design but without a crew module.
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Primary objectives:
- To perform a rendezvous and autonomous docking with the Tiangong‑1 space laboratory, demonstrating China's capability for orbital docking.
- To test life‑support and other subsystems in a long‑duration flight.
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Orbit: Low Earth orbit (LEO) with an initial altitude of approximately 340 km, an inclination of 42.4°, and an orbital period of about 93 minutes.
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Docking: Shenzhou 8 achieved its first automatic docking with Tiangong‑1 on 2 November 2011, marking the first successful docking of a Chinese spacecraft with its own space laboratory. A second undocking and re‑docking maneuver occurred on 3 November 2011 to verify repeatability.
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Mission duration: The spacecraft remained in orbit for 31 days, completing 1 229 orbits before re‑entry.
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Re‑entry and landing: Shenzhou 8 performed a controlled de‑orbit burn on 1 December 2011 and landed safely in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, near the usual recovery zone for Chinese crewed missions.
Significance
Shenzhou 8 was the first Chinese mission to demonstrate autonomous orbital docking, a prerequisite for the subsequent development of a permanent crewed space station. The successful docking validated the automated rendezvous and docking technology that would later be employed in the Tiangong‑2 and Tiangong‑3 missions, and ultimately in the construction of the Tiangong Space Station (Tianhe core module launched in 2021).
Specifications (selected)
- Mass at launch: ~7 800 kg (including orbital module, service module, and docking module)
- Length: 9.25 m
- Diameter: 2.8 m
Related missions
- Preceding mission: Shenzhou 7 (crew‑ed, 2008)
- Subsequent mission: Shenzhou 9 (crew‑ed, 2012)
References
- CNSA press releases (2011)
- International Spaceflight News Agency reports (2011)
- NASA Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network (STDN) orbital data archives.