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Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC
China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLaunch Successful

Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC

Long March 2F/G

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Historical mission record

This page records Long March 2F/G | Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC and its reported outcome: Launch Successful. The date above is a historical record.

Source record updated . This is a source update, not a confirmed launch time.

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Mission status
Launch Successful

Status reported by the mission data provider.

LAUNCH SITEJiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Mission

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.

Launch vehicle
Long March 2F/G
Mission type
Human Exploration
Destination orbit
Low Earth Orbit
Spacecraft
Shenzhou 8
Destination
Tiangong-1
Launch pad
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921)
Provider
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Programs
Shenzhou

The vehicle

Published configuration and flight history.

Long March 2F/G
Xinhua
Launch vehicle

Long March 2F/G

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-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle. It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2F/G version includes longer boosters for increased lift capability, among other improvements.

Height
62 m
Diameter
3.35 m
Stages
2
Recorded launches
20
First flight
2011-10-31

Recorded timing

This is a mission record, not an upcoming calendar appointment.

Instantaneous windowPublished target
SCHEDULED MOMENT

A single scheduled moment. The schedule may change before launch.

Launch site & orbit

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The mission in perspective

Launch site & orbit

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NASA Blue Marble map of Earth's continents and oceans
Representative orbit · accelerated illustrationNo live tracking or simulated ascent. NASA Blue Marble.

Coverage & sources

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Mission coverage

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